Francine Thornhill started her Heavenly journey on April 10, 2021, but that is not her story. Francine lived as many people do not; she loved without limits; her Orthodox Christian faith, her family and friends, her pets, and life itself. A lover of history and learning, she made many trips around the U.S., where she stood at the height of the Grand Canyon, traipsed through the historic Gettysburg, and made the trip to her ancestral Greece. She, in turn, passed this love of learning on to her children and grandchildren. As a professional, she channeled her passion for fashion and sewing to become one of the North Shore’s finest bridal seamstresses.

And while these are all impressive feats, Francine’s greatest adventure was her family. Francine dearly loved her spunky daughters Erika and Kaity. And with the new generation, she adored her grandchildren, Ashley, Heather, Erik, Michael, Nikola, Christopher, and Alexi. And most recently, she adored her first great-grandchild, Yiannis, and he adored her. As she loved to say – planes, trains, and automobiles – she always found a way to visit her grandchildren, whether they were in another state or simply separated by Boston rush hour traffic. She was an unstoppable force where she loved, and she will be dearly missed. Beyond the titles mother, daughter, Yiayia, sister, wife, aunt and adventurer, Francine held the title “fighter,” and was a force to be reckoned with. She faced the slings and arrows life threw at her head-on. She was diagnosed with Neuroendocrine pancreatic cancer in early 2008, and battled the deadly disease with courage, faith, perseverance, and a strong dose of humor. In so doing, she inspired many around her, and that inspiration will endure. This is not the end, but a new beginning for our beloved Francine, who has moved on to bigger and better things in a place where she no longer feels earthly pain. Let us honor her and carry that strength forward in our own lives.

Francine is survived by her daughter Erika, her grandchildren Ashley and her husband Jeff, Heather, Erik, Michael, Nikola, Christopher, and Alexi; her great-grandson Yiannis, her brother Michael Kokinis and his wife Marianne, and many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents Kay Kokinis and William May, her brother John “Oogie” May, and her husband Corliss “Chuck” Thornhill.

Arrangements: A visitation will be held on Thursday, April 15, 2021, at the Conway Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, from 4-7 P.M. with a Panikhida service at 6:30 P.M. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Due to current restriction’s, her funeral service will be held privately, followed by burial at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Peabody. Contributions may be made in her memory to The National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, P.O. Box 1848, Longmont, CO 80502. Or to Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, 64 Forrester St, Salem, MA 01970.