Passed away at Guelph General Hospital, Guelph, Ontario, on October 29, 2022 at the age of 93.
Fran was a caring mother, loving wife, enthusiastic friend, and a gifted soprano with a radiant voice, bright and shimmering. She will be missed for her enthusiasm, kindness, and infectious humour.
Fran had a great passion for song, often joined in great harmonizing by her sisters Betty, Babs, and Carol, known affectionally as the Four Corner Sisters. Whenever they gathered in Montreal, Toronto, and more recently at sister Carol and her husband Dave's cottage in Grand Bend, they would regale us with musicals and popular post-war era songs like Sentimental Journey.
Fran was a classically trained soprano who sang first with the Montreal Bach Choir. In 1953, Fran, with her first husband Carl (now deceased), Carl’s brother George and spouse Madeleine Little, co-founded CAMMAC (Canadian Amateur Musicians) which continues to flourish today as a summer long musical program in the Laurentian Mountains of Québec.
After moving to Toronto in 1959 with Carl, children Christine, Jennifer, and Geoffrey (Stephen would be born a year later), she joined the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and also starred in leading roles in Gilbert and Sullivan musicals with the Parkwoods Players in Toronto. As was expected of women in the 1960’s, she balanced her passion for music and commitment to family with a full-time position at CIBC. Due to her proficiency in math and good communication skills at CIBC she was quickly promoted to the position of Loans Manager, a position she held until her retirement, at which time she and her second husband, Murray Mathieson (now deceased) relocated to Guelph.
Fran and Murray kept up an active social life in Guelph, pursuing golf, bridge, hiking, and canoeing with similar zest and remained active within Harcourt United Church community, including its choir, for many years.
Fran is survived by children, Christine (John) Ardagh, Jennifer MacLachlan, Geoffrey Little, Stephen Douglas; stepchildren Heather (Brian McMillan) Mathieson, Alex Mathieson, Jean (Mark) Vanderheyden, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, sister Carol Wilson, and many nephews and nieces. Predeceased by her parents, husbands Carl Little and Murray Mathieson, sisters Betty Brown and Babs Lognon, and stepson Bruce Mathieson.
A private celebration of Fran’s life is planned for early 2023 in Toronto, Ontario.
To express condolences, please contact daughter Christine at [email protected].
The family thanks the staff at The Village of Arbour Trails for the excellent care Fran and her late husband Murray received for the past nine years.
If you would like to remember Fran with a donation to Chalmers Community Services Center, please go to their donations page at Canada Helps - Chalmers Community Services.
Arrangements entrusted to the WALL-CUSTANCE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL 519-822-0051 / www.wallcustance.com.
A tree will be planted in memory of Frances R. Mathieson in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest.