Frances Bean (Matiejunas) of Newburyport, formerly of Malden, passed away on January 23, 2024, surrounded by her loving family at age 89.
Devoted wife of the late David F. Bean. Loving mother of Joanne Alvarez and her husband, Juan, Linda Pardee and her husband, Calvin, David Bean and his wife, Sandra, and John Bean. Cherished grandmother of AnneMarie Alvarez, Carolyn Lundell, Calvin Pardee, Emily Bean and Alex Bean. Adored great-grandmother of Jesse Alvarez, Owen Lundell and Reese Lundell. Beloved sister of Mary Bean. Also survived by nieces, nephews, other loving relatives, and friends.
Visitation at the Spadafora Funeral Home, 865 Main Street in Malden on Friday, January 26, 2024, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm. Funeral mass at Immaculate Conception Church, 600 Pleasant Street in Malden at 10:00 am on Saturday, January 27, 2024. Those wishing to travel in procession to the church are asked to please meet at the funeral home at 9:00 am.
Interment will follow at the Holy Cross Cemetery, Ledge Road in Hudson, New Hampshire. Those wishing to attend are asked to please meet just inside the main gate of the cemetery at 11:45 am.
In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association, 309 Waverley Oaks Road, Waltham, MA 02452.
Frances Matiejunas Bean grew up in a Polish-speaking home in Cambridge. To her parents, she was “Frania”. When she began school she spoke no English, but quickly became as American as anyone else. In high school she even played basketball, and after school took care of her little sister and younger cousins. After high school she enjoyed working for the John Hancock company, but after her marriage to David Bean in 1955, her family was her life.
She loved going to the movies, a fair, the beach or “mystery rides”, which may or may not have involved getting lost. Many times, there were 10 in the car: Fran, her sister, her four children, and her sister’s four. Later, there were many trips, including Disney World, Europe, California, Virginia, the four corners of the USA, and many to Florida after her husband Dave retired.
Frances enjoyed polka music, dancing, and festivals. We have many fond memories of watching her dance the polka, twirling around the dance floor! She also enjoyed reading and crosswords. Fran was a marvelous cook as well, and Sunday dinners and holidays were memorable occasions. She could cook anything and learned a lot from her parents and sisters-in-law. Since her husband Dave was one of 16, Fran had many brothers and sisters-in-law, and the recipe collection was multicultural. One of her signature items were her mini cheesecakes! She was very fond of seafood, especially lobster and crab.
As she got older, she enjoyed excursions with her children, and later, grandchildren. One of her life lessons was “Life is short, eat dessert first”! She would take the grandchildren out to have ice cream for breakfast. She got a kick out of her great-grandchildren, mostly through funny videos and photos!
In her later years, she enjoyed going out for excursions with her children and spent her final years in memory care at the Residence at Melrose Station, where the staff loved her, and the feeling was mutual. Fran was known to all for her sweet personality and will be missed by many!