JAMESTOWN, NY - Classmate Craig Fransen, one of my closest friends growing up in Lakewood, has passed away. His obituary and photo are listed at the bottom of this brief note.
The news of his death reached me late yesterday and from numerous Class of '66 folks (and others) today, too. Apparently he seemed healthy just a short time ago, having been sighted having coffee at a local Tim Horton's. As I write this, I don't know the cause of death.
Craig was a lakeshore neighbor, living only a half-dozen houses away from my Lakewood house.
Summer, fall, winter and spring, we often were doing things with an assortment of other kids from the surrounding few blocks that included Gifford Avenue, Webster Street and others whose names I can't remember. In summers we boated all over the lake. In winters we went out on the ice when it was barely safe.
Craig and I grew up in households without fathers, both of our dads having died before we hit our teens. That probably drew us together as much as the things we did on Lake Chautauqua,
He was on the wrestling team for a stint when I was, I recall. And along with a group including the late Gary Shenkel (an SWCS classmate who moved to Connecticut when we were freshmen), Class of 65's Louis LaMarca and perhaps Tom Short (class of 67?) we frequently ate lunch at his house. His housekeeper Billie was a fabulous cook and could fill our teen bellies quite well.
I last saw Craig at a Class of '66 reunion - maybe our 50th.
Rest in peace, Craig Fransen.
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Obituary from the Jamestown Post-Journal
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