Francine Virginia Ladenheim

Francine Virginia Ladenheim, our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away on October 1, 2026 after a brief illness, surrounded by love and gratitude for her life. She was 93 years old.

Francine was born on February 22, 1933 to Howard Barnhart and Louise Squires. Like her mother and grandmother before her, and her children after her, she was born in Margaretville, New York. She was proud to have been the second baby born in the new Margaretville Hospital.

Raised primarily by her grandmother, Nettie Squires, whom she adored, Francine grew up within a large, multigenerational family. That upbringing shaped the life she would build, with caring for others at its heart. Francine graduated from high school shortly after her seventeenth birthday and married Bernard "Bernie" Ladenheim the following year.

She is survived by her four children and their families, Mark Ladenheim and his wife, Connie Lewis, and their daughters, Erin and Rachel Ladenheim, and Rachel's children, Henry and Samuel; Bruce Ladenheim and his daughters, Sara Forman and her husband, Eric, and Maria Ladenheim, Sara and Eric's children, Benji , Eli, and Madeleine, and Maria's daughter, Karolina; David Ladenheim; and Melissa Ladenheim and her husband, James Moreira, and their sons, Andrew and Alexander.

She is also survived by her much-loved niece and nephew, Lauren Dunbar and Merrill Ladenheim, and their families, along with several cousins and other extended family members. She will be dearly missed by her friend, Pearl Wilson, Pearl's daughter, Vangelee Russell, and her husband, Patrick, and their children and grandchildren.

Francine was predeceased by her parents and grandparents; her sister and brother-in-law, Lois and Richard Esposito; her former husband, Bernie Ladenheim; and her very special cousin, Leighton "Spooky" Squires, who was like a brother to her.

Francine was the quintessential caretaker. She raised her own children, helped raise two of her grandchildren for a time, and more than once cared for her cousins' children. When her mother- and father-in-law became infirm, she cared for them, too. She loved, fed, and nurtured generations of her family.

An excellent cook and baker, she delighted in gathering people around her dining table, laden with food she had made from scratch. A full table and the company of those she loved brought her tremendous joy.

Alongside raising and caring for her family, Francine held many jobs over the years. She worked as a drugstore clerk, an assistant to the former U.S. Congressman Matt McHugh, and a secretary in an arts and cultural center. After her children were grown, she worked for many years as a bookkeeper. It took her two tries to retire, but she finally succeeded at 70. Sort of. Through her 70's, she regularly traveled to Rochester to help Mark keep the books in his appliance business.

In 2014, Francine moved to Maine to be closer to her daughter and her family. She lived independently in her little house next door, just across a shared driveway. Her youngest grandchildren were still in high school when she arrived and she became deeply involved in their daily lives, attending sporting events, occasionally turning her house over for sleepovers, and teaching her youngest grandson how to drive. She was a great sport, playing Settlers of Catan into her 90's.

She adored her grandchildren and took great pride in their accomplishments. Her great-grandchildren brought her tremendous happiness, and Henry and Samuel affectionately called her "Gigi".

Even at 93, Francine remained remarkably active, and people often found her age hard to believe. She was a voracious reader, especially of mysteries, loved doing puzzles and playing Scrabble, and tended a small vegetable and her garden. This fall, she was well into canning season and together with Melissa, they put up eighteen quarts of tomato sauce, five buckets of salsa, peach chutney, dilly beans, and bread-and-butter pickles. She was freezing apples for winter pies and crisps, and looking forward to making several varieties of jam in cooler weather.

She found joy and beauty in her flower garden and in the birds visiting her feeders, especially cardinals, woodpeckers, and hummingbirds. A skilled seamstress, she even sewed her daughter's wedding dress. She also knitted, crocheted, and enjoyed crafts of all kinds. Many remember the Barbie clothes she sewed and the numerous sets of Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls she lovingly made over the years.

No account of her life could capture all the ways Francine cared for and supported her family, friends, and neighbors. Her love was expressed in everyday acts; a meal prepared, a child cared for, something lovingly made by hand, and encouragement offered when it was needed.

Her devotion to family, deep loyalty, unwavering support, and boundless generosity are gifts we will always cherish. She encouraged us to be strong, genuine, honest, and principled, and she showed us what it meant to care for one another.

We were blessed to have her in our lives and we will miss her profoundly.

May her memory be a blessing.