Mary Francele Adams (Ofer) beloved and loving wife, mother and Grammy passed away on Dec. 27 in the care of hospice and her loving family in Rochester Hills, MI. Fran was 82 years young.
Francele was born on Feb. 18, 1940 at Providence Hospital in Detroit and was the firstborn of five children who grew up in Ferndale, MI. Francele and James (Jim) Adams were married at Saint James Church in Ferndale. Fran and Jim raised their daughters mostly in Mt. Clemens and Madison Heights and spent a good amount of their retirement years (‘21) in the Traverse City area, residing in Alden, Michigan.
Francele is preceded in death by her loving parents, John and Frances Ofer; grandson Jacob Michael Wolvin; and her son, James David.
Fran is survived by her husband James D. Adams, married 57 years; her daughters, Melinda Carole Wolvin and Theresa Lynn Driest, sons-in-law Kenneth J. Wolvin and David A. Driest; her grandchildren David James Driest and Steven Daniel Driest.
Francele is also survived by her four siblings, Paul Ofer (Karin), Suzanne Kritcher, Marian Moir (Mike), and MaryJane Gentry (Gary). She is survived by many nieces, nephews, in-laws on all sides and many good friends made through-out the years. She will be fondly remembered and she will be greatly missed.
Fran was a wonderful wife and mother. She took very good care of herself and her husband. She loved to read for knowledge and leisure, garden, recycle, vacation and volunteer. She had an eye for style and always dressed beautifully. Fran loved making cookies for her grandsons.
She always took an interest in others and loved to support local artists and authors. Francele had a green thumb for plants, inside and out. She took part in the Juniper Garden Club and contributed to a gardening column for the local paper up north.
Fran was involved in her church and many outreaches through the years such as; The Stephen Ministry, jail ministry and most recently the St. Vincent de Paul Ministry. Jim and Fran were also leaders in Marriage Encounter for many years. Fran loved God and the bible and adored her current bible study group the “Barnabas Chicks.”
Fran held many jobs over the years including Bell Telephone after graduating high school. One of her most fulfilling was bus driving for ServiCar of Michigan where she formed many friendships with the parents and students.
Fran was a very strong woman, but was diagnosed with stage 4 endometrial cancer in late September. She fought. The family would like to see more work done to detect and prevent this often silent killer.
Francele believed very strongly in charity and in lieu of flowers consider donations in memorial to Neighborhood House: ranh.org or sponsor a child/family at unbound.org.
Fran’s Funeral Mass and Luncheon will be held at St Mary’s of the Hills in Rochester Hills at 11 a.m. on Jan. 14. Visitation with family in the vestibule before the Mass at 10 a.m.
Her ashes will be buried in the spring at Square Lake Cemetery, Orion Township next to her grandson Jacob.
Service will be live streamed through the church on Saturday.