Obituary for Francis M. "Frank" Winters
Francis (Frank) M. Winters, age 81, passed peacefully from this life on October 24, 2020 after a long illness. Born in Brooklyn, NY on November 11, 1938 to the late Frank Winters and Mary Donahue Winters, Frank is survived by his loving wife of 61 years Janet E. Winters, and children Marianne Winters and her wife Karan Parkin of Springfield, MA; Patricia Camloh and her husband William of Lafayette, NY; Carol Pearson and her husband John of Oak Island, NC; and Frank Winters Jr. and his wife Rachel of Glenville, NY. Frank is also survived by the lights of his life, his nine grandchildren — Valerie (Palmatier) Waugh, Jessie Palmatier, Chelsea Trim, Miriam (Camloh) Weddle, Kade Parkin, Natalie Camloh, Luke Winters, Jeffrey Camloh, and Colin Winters.
Frank was a living example of the life of service and love embodied by his namesake, Saint Francis of Assisi. Born a city boy, he thrived in his Central New York home. Frank instilled a deep love and respect for nature and adventure in his children. In his career as an electrical engineer in the telecommunications industry, he always sought first to understand the problem, then build the plan and a team to solve whatever challenge was presented. Frank managed to the mantra, “the people come first.” He earned an Associates Degree from SUNY Morrisville and late in his career earned a Bachelor's Degree from Empire State College after ensuring his four children earned their degrees. He retired from his management job with Verizon and enjoyed many years full of travel, golf and family gatherings.
In his community, Frank freely gave of his time and talents as a Little League coach, a Boy Scouts volunteer, a Eucharistic Minister and a religious education instructor for St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, and as a volunteer with the Pompey Lions and Fabius-Pompey Outreach. Along with his beloved wife Janet, he gave countless hours to the Marriage Encounter program and Catholic marriage preparation, and helped build a home through Habitat for Humanity.
When it came to his family, Frank always preferred to give rather than receive. As his family expanded to include sons- and daughters-in-law, and then grandchildren, his happiest moments were ones of gathering — the holidays, the special occasions, even the regular Sunday dinner where two or more were gathered to break bread and share smiles.
Frank will be greatly missed by so many. Yet as the prayer of Saint Francis assures us, it is in dying that he has been born to eternal life.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Frank’s memory to the Fabius-Pompey Outreach, www.fpoutreach.org.
Frank was a living example of the life of service and love embodied by his namesake, Saint Francis of Assisi. Born a city boy, he thrived in his Central New York home. Frank instilled a deep love and respect for nature and adventure in his children. In his career as an electrical engineer in the telecommunications industry, he always sought first to understand the problem, then build the plan and a team to solve whatever challenge was presented. Frank managed to the mantra, “the people come first.” He earned an Associates Degree from SUNY Morrisville and late in his career earned a Bachelor's Degree from Empire State College after ensuring his four children earned their degrees. He retired from his management job with Verizon and enjoyed many years full of travel, golf and family gatherings.
In his community, Frank freely gave of his time and talents as a Little League coach, a Boy Scouts volunteer, a Eucharistic Minister and a religious education instructor for St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, and as a volunteer with the Pompey Lions and Fabius-Pompey Outreach. Along with his beloved wife Janet, he gave countless hours to the Marriage Encounter program and Catholic marriage preparation, and helped build a home through Habitat for Humanity.
When it came to his family, Frank always preferred to give rather than receive. As his family expanded to include sons- and daughters-in-law, and then grandchildren, his happiest moments were ones of gathering — the holidays, the special occasions, even the regular Sunday dinner where two or more were gathered to break bread and share smiles.
Frank will be greatly missed by so many. Yet as the prayer of Saint Francis assures us, it is in dying that he has been born to eternal life.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Frank’s memory to the Fabius-Pompey Outreach, www.fpoutreach.org.