Born in Orange, New Jersey, to Irish immigrants John and Delia Byrne, Fran was the youngest of eight children. As a result, Aunt Frannie was often affectionately referred to as the “cool aunt” by her nieces and nephews. She was raised in Orange and Pine Brook and graduated in 1947 from Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair, where she managed the yearbook and was voted by her classmates as “Most Happy.”

After graduation, Fran worked in the personnel division of the Prudential Insurance Company, first in Newark and later in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she transferred in 1952 to assist in establishing Prudential’s north central home office. During these years, she took full advantage of her vacation time, traveling extensively throughout Europe, and often shared delightful stories and pictures from her trips.

Fran returned to New Jersey in 1959, and in July of 1960, she married her beloved husband, Bill, who passed away in 2005. In 1964, they moved to Livingston with their three young children, and she dedicated the next several years to being a full-time mom and homemaker. She later reentered the workforce, taking positions at the West Essex Tribune, Temple Emanu-El of West Essex and the Livingston Board of Education. Fran retired in 1994 and remained active in the Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Knights of Columbus, as well as the Rosary Society at St Philomena’s and later at St Peter’s.

In 2014, Fran moved to The Senior Residence at St. Peter’s in River Edge, New Jersey. The greatest joy of her later years was spending time with family and friends, especially attending more than 40 Annual Byrne Family picnics, and enjoying countless lunches at the Landmark Tavern with her close friends at their “back table.” She also loved watching and listening to her New York Yankees and treasured her many trips over the years to the Jersey Shore. She was strong-willed, resilient, kind to all, and maintained a life-long devotion to the Rosary, which was the bedrock of her unshakeable faith.

Fran is survived by her loving children: sons Bill McKee and his wife Susan, of Oradell, Mike McKee and his wife Angela, of Cherry Hill, and daughter Mary Carnevale and her husband Stephen, of Oradell. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren: Kathleen Carnevale and her husband Michael Chimko, Anthony Carnevale and his wife Whitney, Stephanie Carnevale, Chelsea Carnevale, Maggie Zarling and her husband Nick, Billy McKee, Jack McKee, and Caroline McKee. Fran also leaves behind treasured great-grandsons: Max Marino and Stephen Michael Chimko, as well as dozens of dearly loved nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours were held on Wednesday, March 12, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, 145 East Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Livingston, NJ.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Liturgy of Christian Burial on Thursday, March 13, at 10 a.m. at The Church of Saint Philomena 386 South LivingstonAvenue. Interment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Building Communities, a 501(c) non-profit that owns and operates The Residence at St. Peter’s, 415 Fifth Avenue, River Edge, NJ 07661.