Fran Winn, 87, of Virginia Beach, Va., and Fresno, Calif., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019. Born Frances Marie Blatnik on Nov. 5, 1932, in Fayette City, PA, Fran was a 1950 graduate of Marion High School, where she was class valedictorian, a cheerleader and May Queen (Homecoming). In 1956, she married Robert “Bob” Winn and continued working as an operator at Pennsylvania Bell until their first child was born. Bob’s lifelong government career as an auditor for the General Accounting Office (GAO) required moving periodically, and they resided in the Pittsburgh area; Frankfurt, Germany; Silver Spring, Md.; and, since 1971, Virginia Beach, Va., where they remained following Bob’s retirement and where she later worked at Virginia Beach General Hospital until retirement. Fran was a longtime parishioner at Holy Family Catholic Church, and served as a devoted volunteer. Known for her warm, outgoing and always-cheerful personality, Fran made friends wherever she lived, and her kitchen was often the center of her hospitality and excellent cooking. Her home-baked pies, nut roll, cookies and other “goodies,” as she would call them, were constantly there for family and for the many guests always welcomed into her home. Whether she was chatting with you at the kitchen table, playing piano and singing in the living room, or had a Pittsburgh Pirates or Steelers game on the television in the family room, her home was always a joyful place to be. In 2011, Fran moved to Fresno, Calif., where in most recent years she was a resident of Cedarbrook Memory Care Community. Fran is survived by her four adoring sons and daughters-in-law: Ken (Patricia) of Chicago, Ill.; Steve (Tomlyn) of Fresno; David (Renée) of Highland, Calif.; and Brian (Kelly) of Oak Ridge, N.C. She was the proud, loving grandmother of nine grandchildren: Michael, Graham (Alissa), Kendall, Philip, Griffin, Matthew, Jack, Kinsi and Cadin. Also surviving is a sister, Barbara Lipp, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; sisters-in-law, Dee Blatnik, Patty Winn, Veronica Winn and Evelyn Winn; and many cherished Winn and Blatnik nephews and nieces in the Pittsburgh area. Fran was preceded in death by her loving husband, Bob, on Nov. 23, 1994; her parents, Anton and Anna Sladich Blatnik; a sister, Josephine; brothers, John, Tom, Anthony and Matthew “George” Blatnik; also by brothers-in–law, Leonard, Jay and Vincent Winn; as well as a sister-in-law, Dorothy Winn. Visitation is scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, 2020, at HOLLOMAN-BROWN FUNERAL HOME, Great Neck Chapel, 1264 N. Great Neck Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23454. Floral contributions welcomed. Mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4, 2019, at Holy Family Catholic Church. Interment in Princess Anne Memorial Park Mausoleum. Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities, Alzheimer’s and Dementia Association or the American Cancer Society.
