MIDLOTHIAN, TEXAS: Frances Madeline (Carter) Cahill died peacefully on February 21, 2018 following a period of declining health.
She was born to Archibald E. Carter, Sr. and Mary F. (Garnier) Carter on February 25, 1923 in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada. The family immigrated to Wayland, Massachusetts when Fran was about 3 years old. As the oldest child Fran helped take care of the family home and all of her siblings; Kay, Archie, Rita, and Arthur.
After graduation from Wayland High School in 1941, she served as a Nannie for a young man in Wayland. She often accompanied him to Fenway Park and enjoyed watching the Red Sox play. Her love for the Red Sox never diminished.
Fran married Willard Cahill in 1944 and they made their home in Framingham. They were blessed with four children; Lynn, Buster, Martha, and Nancy. Throughout the years, Fran assisted in caring for her in-laws and her parents.
Together Willard and Fran expanded Cahill’s Trucking Service. Fran not only handled the books but also drove the trucks. Quite a trend setter in the 40’s! Fran worked as a nurse’s aide at Meadowbrook Manor Nursing Home. After Willard’s passing in 1972, Fran, along with her brother Arthur, continued to run Cahill’s Trucking. She managed the trucking company while serving as business coordinator for her nephew Ken’s auto-truck repair business. After the auto shop closed she became Sales Manager for Windsor Button Shop in Shopper’s World. Fran officially retired from Windsor and Cahill’s Trucking in 1988.
Through the years Fran was active in Grange, 4H, Navy Mothers, volunteered at Cushing Hospital, served as a Sunday school teacher at the First United Methodist Church in Framingham, and also raised dogs for the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind.
Fran enjoyed traveling to Stoddard, New Hampshire with Nancy, Bob and the kids to enjoy time at the family camp. Other weekends she would head to Cape Cod to spend family time with Lynn and her clan. In the early 90s Fran took her adventures to Japan for a memory making stay with Martha and her family.
Following her stroke in 1998 she moved in with Nancy and Bob. The next year Fran traded her snow boots for cowboy boots as Bob was transferred to Cedar Hill, Texas. She had a long and happy life taking enjoyment from watching the birds, working in the gardens, playing with her animals, listening to the “Preacher Man”, and most of all creating memories with her family and friends.
She is survived by her children Carolyn Gale and husband Dan of Duxbury, Martha Kimball of Arlington, TX, Nancy Hawes and husband Bob of Midlothian, TX and grandchildren John Lincoln and wife Kelly, Jim Lincoln, Donna Gale, Brian Gale, Christine Mettler and husband Jeremy, Mindy Olin and husband Scott. Also survived by 9 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. She was the sister of Rita H. Hubbard of Salem Mother of the late Willard A. Cahill, Jr. who died in 1990 and sister of the late Archibald W. Carter, Jr, Arthur W. Carter and Kathleen Hicks.
A Memorial Service Celebrating her Life will be held on Saturday, March 17, 2017 at 11:00 am at the John C. Bryant Funeral Home, 56 Pemberton Road (off Rte. 30), Wayland.
Interment in Edgell Grove Cemetery will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in Fran’s memory may be sent to a local hospice agency or to the charity of the donor’s choice.