ROCKPORT: Emma M. (Soini) Francis, 97, passed away Monday evening, January 21, 2013, in the Den-Mar Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. She was the wife of the late John S. Francis, who died in January of 1985.
Born in Rockport on March 12, 1915, she was the daughter of the late Jacob E. and Hilma (Niemi) Soini. She had attended Rockport High School and went to work in Newton, where she met her husband, John.
A lover of traveling, she and John traveled throughout much of the United States. She was very proud of her Finnish heritage and in 1964 she and her father visited his native country of Finland. She loved listening to music. Lively polkas often filled the air in her house.
She was a lifelong member of the St. Paul Lutheran Church. Her other interests included reading, playing cards with family and friends, and an occasional trip to the slot machines in Foxwoods and Atlantic City.
Emma had a wonderful sense of humor. A loving and devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, she will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Barbara and Thomas O’Maley; a son and daughter-in-law, Richard S. and Terry (Wentzell) Francis; four grandchildren, Linda A., wife of Anthony Pizzimenti, Karen J., wife of Richard Cabral, Thomas R., husband of Kathi O’Maley and Diane L. Francis; six great-grandchildren, Anthony Pizzimenti, Nicholas Pizzimenti, Katie LaChapelle, Rachel Cabral, Elizabeth O’Maley and Jacob O’Maley. She also leaves a nephew, Wayne Soini, a great-niece and great-nephews, and her close cousin, Arline Moore. She was also predeceased by her son, Robert W. Francis, brother and sister-in-law, Waino and Florence Soini; a niece, Sheila Normansell; and her stepmother, Sanna S. Soini.
Her funeral service will be held on Friday morning in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester at 11 a.m. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 10 - 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1123 Washington Street, Gloucester, MA 01930 or Meals on Wheels, c/o SeniorCare, Inc., 5 Blackburn Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930. Interment will be held in the Locust Grove Cemetery.