Francine Ellen Salerno

Francine Ellen Salerno

March 19, 1940 – June 5, 2025

Francine was born in Madison, Wisconsin and lived there her entire long life. Fran grew up in a big Catholic family on Gregory Street near Lake Wingra. She told many stories of playing, exploring, boating, swimming, fishing and sledding with her brothers and sisters and the other neighborhood children.

Francine graduated from Madison West High School in 1958. She studied hard in school and earned excellent grades, a life skill she always stressed to her children and grandchildren. In a different era Fran would almost certainly have gone to college.

In 1959, Francine married George Salerno. They remained constant companions until her death this year after 66 years of marriage. Fran and George had three children together: Mark, Jeff, and Laura.

After a lifetime of working hard and raising children, Fran and George enjoyed a long and happy retirement, having good times on their many day trips to visit friends and family, to go to antique stores, outdoor markets and their favorite small town bakeries throughout southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Fran and George especially enjoyed their twice yearly trips to Las Vegas where they saw many iconic shows, performers, and exhibits.

Francine loved to play board games and cards, especially poker. Fran taught all of her grandchildren to play her favorite game, Texas Hold’Em. Fran was proud to have won some poker tournaments in Vegas. Never underestimate the grandma at the table!

In later years, Fran and George enjoyed going on walks together and watching classic movies and their favorite shows. Francine also patiently endured a lifetime of MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL playoff games, just to be sociable.

Most of all, Fran loved spending time with her children and grandchildren. Countless times, at all hours, Fran rushed to be with sick or injured loved ones. Fran gave rides, picked things up, dropped them off, and made favorite treats and meals. For years, Fran and George watched their grandchildren Avery and Jack weekly on Mondays after school. Years, later, Avery and Jack still talk about how much fun they had on “grandma and grandpa day”. Francine loved getting everyone together for birthdays and holidays.

Fran was a loving and devoted mother and grandmother. She was always there to celebrate her loved ones’ successes, and to console and comfort them after setbacks. What would we have done without this wonderful person?

Fran’s legacy to her family are the lessons she taught by her example: be responsible and hardworking at work and school, show up, and show you can be counted on. Think and make good decisions every day. Be present for your loved ones, be there for them no matter what. Be grateful and generous during good times, be resilient and brave when times are hard. Above all, be thoughtful and kind, as Fran was to everyone in her life, every day of her 85 years.

Francine was preceded in death by her parents, Frances and Rueben, her brothers Steven and Jerome, her sister Joanne, and her son Jeffrey. Francine is survived by her husband George, her son Mark, her daughter Laura, her daughters in law Marnie and Denise, her son in law Andy, her sisters Jean and Judy, her brother Rick, her sister in law Sylvia, her brothers in law Steve and Gary, many nieces and nephews, and her three beloved grandchildren Steven, Avery, and Jack.