WITEK, Frances (Fran) (Peanut)

Vistoso Funeral Home, Oro Valley, Arizona Frances B. Witek March 14, 1926 - January 11, 2013 FRANCES B. WITEK On Friday, January 11, 2013, Frances B. Witek entered into Eternal Rest after a short illness at Arizona University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. Fran, affectionately known as “Peanut” was born on March 14, 1926 in Long Branch, New Jersey to Frank and Pauline Bruno. Fran was the youngest of the six “Bruno Sisters”, Mary, Theresa, Clara, Anne, and Josephine being her older sisters. Fran lived the first part of her life in Long Branch and Scarsdale, New York, and graduated from Long Branch High School where she was a cheerleader and ultimately was captain of the cheering squad for two years prior to graduation. Subsequent to her graduation, she worked at Ft. Monmouth as a clerical assistant for several years. In 1949 or 1950, Fran met the love of her life, Robert L. Witek, Sr., a former Naval Aviator, also a Long Branch native, through her sister Anne and her husband, the late Corky Prout. Robert and Corky were working as lifeguards on the Long Branch Beach, and thus began a romance that lasted sixty-two years. After they were married, Fran and Bob moved to “The Apartment” in West End, Long Branch where they lived for approximately four years. Thereafter, they purchased the lot in Oceanport, where Robert, his father Anthony and a host of other friends built their dream home, the Witek Family Homestead. It was while residing at the Oceanport house that the Witek children were born, first Robin, then Lee Anne and lastly Robert, Jr. Fran and her family resided in Oceanport for approximately thirty-five years and upon Bob’s retirement from employment as a Project Manager for the United States Army at Ft. Monmouth, Fran and Bob decided to pick up stakes and head to the Great Southwest, settling in Tucson, Arizona. Fran and Bob enjoyed more than twenty years of happiness, health and love together in Tucson where they made many close friends and shared many lovely times. The loves of Fran’s life were her beloved husband Bob, her children, grandchildren, and her extended family, cooking, her church and her God and socializing with her many friends. Also, Fran was a devoted fan of the New York Yankees and no matter how far behind they were she would always hold out hope for the “big inning.” Phil Rizzuto was her favorite announcer and she was very sad when he passed away in 2007. Fran touched many lives with her gentle grace, her warm smile, her deep and profound faith, her innate goodness and her sense of humor and she will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. She leaves behind to mourn, Robert, her husband, Robin, her daughter, Lee Blackman, her daughter and her husband Ken, and her children Jennifer, and her husband, Mark, daughter Malia, and her husband Matt, son KJ and daughter Kristen, and her son Robert, Jr., his wife Denise and their twins Alexandra and Elizabeth. A funeral service will be held in Tucson on Wednesday January 16, 2013 at 11:00 AM at the Vistoso Funeral Home. Interment will take place at a later date at Woodbine Cemetery in Oceanport, NJ. The family requests that in lieu of flowers contributions may be sent to Casa de los Ninos, Tucson, AZ, an organization for children in crisis.