Diana M. Francis

Diana M. (Livingston) Francis, 82, of Scituate, MA passed away on April 30, 2026 at her home, succumbing to a degenerative illness.

Born in Boston, MA in 1943 to parents Herbert and Pauline (Backman) Livingston, one of nine children in the family, with four brothers and four sisters, she graduated from Girls' High School in Roxbury, MA and later attended Quincy Junior College. She grew up in Boston, later moving to Quincy, MA and eventually settling for 36 years in Scituate, MA.

She is survived by her loving husband of 63 years, Thomas J. Francis, her, daughter Christine Francis of Scituate, and son Mark Francis of Quincy, as well as her sisters Patricia Eklund of Carver and Susan Livingston of Hanover

Diana held many interesting jobs in her younger years, including a stretch at the venerable Sears Building in Boston that she particularly enjoyed and also spent time as receptionist for legendary ophthalmologist Dr. Charles Schepens, a fact that brought awe and respect from every eye doctor she visited for the rest of her life. Later on, Diana turned her love for antiques and vintage goods into a small business. An early adapter of eBay and online sales, she loved to spend weekends combing yard sales and flea markets for unique and interesting items to sell, a lifestyle passed down to her daughter who also went on to have her own brick-and-mortar vintage store for many years. Diana was an avid lover of music, a passion she shared with husband Tom and they took great pleasure in seeing live concerts, particularly jazz and opera, for the entirety of their marriage until illness sadly took away her ability to attend in later years. They also traveled together when able, and trips with Tom to London, Italy and Scotland created memories she cherished for the rest of her life. She also shared with her husband a love of reading, their house always filled with books and Diana eventually took a personal interest in the small Clift Rodgers Library in Marshfield, her donations so appreciated that they named sections of the library after her brothers in whose name she donated. Diana also had a deep love for animals, particularly cats, and collected vintage items with cat images throughout her life and had many cats as pets over the years. Even when illness eventually made having a cat of her own impossible, Diana continued to support the no-kill Scituate Animal Shelter of Massachusetts as a way to help the animals she loved. Family was everything to Diana - growing up in a modest apartment in downtown Boston with 4 brothers and 4 sisters, the crowded conditions created a bond that lasted throughout their lives, and Diana loved spending time with her siblings wherever they eventually lived - she particularly enjoyed visiting her sister Theresa in Vermont - and sharing holidays with her Mother and siblings and extended families for as long as they all lived. She was pained by the eventual loss of her brothers Bobby, Johnny, Jimmy and Tommy, as well as her sisters Pauline and Theresa, as her surviving sisters Pat and Susan will likewise be hurt by losing her. But her memories of them gave her comfort, as her memory will strengthen and comfort all who knew and loved Diana. Husband Tom was with Diana for more than 6 decades and they shared a love most only dream of, by each other's side through good times and bad, true partners in everything they did. Tom was committed to helping Diana through the unfair illness that overshadowed nearly half of her life, and her appreciation for his assistance and undying love cannot be overstated. Her great wisdom, sharp sense of humor, and genuine compassion will be missed and remembered fondly by all who knew her.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service on Thursday, May 14th, 10am, at the McNamara-Sparrell Funeral Home, 30 Central St, Norwell, MA. Visiting Hours will be the previous evening, Wednesday May 13th from 4-7pm at the same location and are open to all.

At Diana's request, in lieu of flowers remembrances in her name may be made to either the Clift Rodgers Library, 540 Pleasant St. Marshfield Hills, MA 02051 or the Scituate Animal Shelter of Massachusetts, 780 Chief Justice Cushing Highway, Scituate, MA 02066. Both of these institutions were important to Diana and she donated her time and money to them over many years.

cliftrodgersfreelibrary.org

scituateanimalshelter.org