NORWICH – Frances Rosa Natoli Gale Hickling, 86, of Norwich, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, at the NYS Veterans’ Home in Oxford, where she had resided in recent years.
Fran was the daughter of Joseph and Evelyn Lee Natoli. Born in Oneonta in July of 1924, she had lived in Norwich from an early age and was a graduate of the Norwich High School. On June 19, 1954, in South New Berlin, she married Richard Hickling, with whom she raised her family and enjoyed many years of traveling and camping with their friends. Fran was a past president of the VFW auxiliary of Norwich and was a volunteer for and a member of the Chenango Memorial Hospital auxiliary. She had worked at the Medical Arts Building and for Dr. Thomas Flanagan for over 30 years, until her retirement.
Fran was predeceased by her husband Richard; by her sons Larry and David Gale; and her brother, Joseph Natoli. She is survived by her children and their spouses: Jody and Ronald Storrin of Norwich, Barb and Mark Lacy of Cincinnati, Ohio, Richard and Diana Hickling, Jr., and Thomas Hickling of North Carolina; her daughter-in-law, Donna Gale of Norwich; and her brother, Charles Townsend and wife Barb of Mt. Upton. Also surviving are Fran’s grandchildren: Tamora DiNoto, husband Thomas, and their children Monica, Morgan, Joseph, and Mia who were very close to Great Grandma Hickling; Heather Ray, husband Dave, and daughter Emily; Bradley Muchnicki, wife Kier, and daughter Ellinore; and Stacie Muchnicki.
Funeral services for Fran will be held on at 1 p.m. Saturday from the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home. The Rev. Lester Smith, pastor of St. Malachy’s Roman Catholic Church of Sherburne, will officiate. Interment will be in the Mt. Hope Cemetery. Friends are invited to call at the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home on Saturday from 11 a.m. until the service at 1 p.m.
For the last several years, Fran was cared for by the wonderful staff of the Pine Cottage Unit at NYS Veterans’ Home, for which her family would like to express their appreciation.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to the Alzheimer’s Association, Leatherstocking Region Office, Suite 2, 140 Co. Hwy 33W, Cooperstown, NY 13326.