Genevieve Franco

Genevieve Franco, of Vero Beach, Florida, passed away on October 13, 2016. She was 98 years old.  Her life was highlighted by dedication and determination; there was no limit to these qualities. She was a wonderful mother.

Her keen analytical mind demanded high standards for her sons, Skip and Robert, in the classroom and beyond. She demonstrated a deep reverence to God, and believed in treating people, especially elders, with respect and humility.

Genevieve Franco was born on April 12th, 1918, in Brooklyn, New York, to George Porrazzo and Mary Guerrier Porrazzo, who were both born in Italy. Genevieve attended Lincoln High School, where she excelled in the classroom and was an outstanding math student.

Genevieve experienced significant hardship when her father left the family in the mid-1930s. With the absence of their father, the patriarch of the Porrazzo family, who was very influential and successful at the National Grain Yeast Corporation, the family suffered great pain.

The sadness in our mother’s life was exacerbated by her mother’s health; Mary was diagnosed with colon cancer. Forgoing her education and future in the business world, Genevieve instead cared for her beloved mother. With deep sadness and tenderness, she accompanied her to doctor’s appointments and administering therapeutic interventions. Mary succumbed to the disease at the early age of 52. Genevieve’s love, feelings and memories of her mother were a dominant force throughout her life.

Genevieve met the love of her life, Cosmo “Gus” Anthony Franco, in 1949 and married him. Gus brought laughter, lightness and vibrancy into her life. A caring and loving man, he brought joy and warmth to her heart. Gus shared his passions with Genevieve, which included his love of music; he played the piano by ear.

Genevieve and Gus’s son, Richard “Skip” A. Franco, was born in 1952. Their second son, Robert S. Franco, was born in 1953.

Gus worked for Hartz Mountain Industries, a real estate and commercial development firm, for many years and then opened his own business, “S+R” Vending Incorporated, named for the first initials of his sons.

The cornerstone of Genevieve’s life, Gus, passed away at the age of 58 in their apartment in Riverdale, New York, on January 1st, 1966, from heart disease. A soulful and thoughtful man, Gus’ death was a huge loss not only for his wife, but his sons who were 13 and 12 respectively.

Following Gus’s death, Genevieve directed her focus and energy on her sons. She made many sacrifices to provide them with a great education and every opportunity to achieve a life of quality and substance.

She readily shared her in-depth knowledge of math with her sons, regardless of their interest. She used math as the template to teach them about life and work ethic; there were never any shortcuts.

Following Skip and Robert’s graduation from Saint Gabriel’s Grammar School in Riverdale, they matriculated and graduated from the prestigious Riverdale Country School. Skip, a gifted student, was recruited to Riverdale for his academic skills. Robert, not academically gifted, presented a perplexing situation to Mr. Russell Ames, the director of admissions. Genevieve’s diminutive stature, under five-feet tall, was inversely proportional to her unyielding drive. She wore down Mr. Ames, refusing to have one son accepted and one son rejected.

Genevieve’s values were clear, unambiguous, and forceful. She cherished education and religion. Her family never missed mass at Saint Gabriel’s Church on Sunday at 11:00 am while they lived in the Bronx.

She encouraged her two children to stay close and support each other. Hence, it was only fitting that Skip and Robert both attended a small school “on the hill” in Easton, Pa.—Lafayette Collect. While at Lafayette, Skip and Robert were roommates in the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house.

Genevieve had a knack for decorating and possessed an artistic eye that blossomed in her later years. Her creative talent transformed her family’s living quarters into a cozy and inviting place to live, study and enjoy company. She produced tranquil paintings, often of a woman alone.

With an innate flair for clothes, always impeccably dressed with high-heels and hair finely groomed, Genevieve took great pride in her appearance. She was a woman of exquisite taste and beauty.

As well, she was a woman of intense purpose and vision, Genevieve repeatedly told her sons, “You will make something of yourselves and contribute to this world. You need to be part of the parade, not a spectator.” Skip finished New York Medical College in three years.

Genevieve said many novenas, rosaries and attended mass for Robert, who had a proclivity for sports, socializing and fun. In 1977, she moved to Nashville, Tennessee, when Robert followed Skip into the medical field and attended Meharry Medical School. In Nashville, she attended St. Henry’s Church.

Attending her sons’ graduations from medical school were special days.

Between 1981 and 1982, Genevieve moved to Tampa, Florida, to live near Skip. Then in 1982, both Genevieve and Skip’s family relocated to Vero Beach, Florida. For the past three and a half decades—while Genevieve lived in Vero Beach, independently—Skip served the Vero Beach community with impeccable medical care. His overwhelming work ethic was strongly influenced by Genevieve.

Genevieve was very close with Skip and his wife Kim, as well as their children. She attended the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Vero Beach.

Genvieve was predeceased by her parents, George Porrazzo and Mary Guerrier Porrazzo, her older sister, Mary Tomchin, and her beloved husband Cosmo “Gus” Anthony Franco

She leaves behind her two loving sons, Dr. Richard A. Franco(Kim) of Vero Beach, Florida—and Dr. Robert S. Franco(Suzanne) of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Genevieve had six grandchildren: Kyle(NYC), Meredith(NYC), William(Vero Beach) , Stephen (Meredith)  (Denver CO), James (Charlottesville Va), and Matthew (NYC); two step-grandchildren: Cecil(Golden CO) and Bronson(Ponte Vedra Beach FL); a great-grandchild: Grace Anne(Denver CO). She loved her grandchildren and was very interested in their lives. Genevieve leaves behind one sibling, Eleanor Harpring of Vero Beach, Fla., and her nieces and nephew who were very special to her: Jayme Harpring(John)(Tallahassee, Fla), Lisa McLaughlin(Eddie) of Vero Beach, Fla., and Jim Harpring(Sandi)Vero Beach, Fla. Great Neices and Nephews

The words of William Saroyan in his book “The Human Comedy” comes to mind, in regards to Genevieve, “But try to remember that a good man can never die… the person of a man may leave—or be taken away—but the best part of a good man stays. It stays forever. Love is immortal and makes all things immortal.”

Genevieve is immortalized; her spirit lives in us and with our children, forever.

Memorial services will be held at a later date.