Obituary for Francisca German
Francisca Singla Tornos German passed away peacefully on December 22, 2020 at Manchester Commons in Erie, PA.
Francisca was born on April 2, 1929, the only child of Serafin Singla and Teresa Tornos in Peralta de Alcofea , Huesca, Spain. Her father was an educator and was active in the provincial Catalan government. As the Spanish Civil War raged in the late 1930s General Franco defeated the elected government, and the family escaped to France in January 1939. Francisca and her family endured harsh conditions in refugee camps in France for a year. Following the start of the Second World War, the family left Europe and emigrated to the Dominican Republic in 1940. Francisca lived there for 15 years and graduated from medical school in 1952. While in medical school, she fell in love with her classmate Antonio German Olivier, and they married on December 19, 1954. Antonio was active in the opposition underground against the ruthless dictator Trujillo. Life in the Dominican Republic was very precarious, and Francisca and Antonio emigrated to the United States to continue their careers and start a family.
Following her arrival in Burlington, Vermont, Francisca completed her medical internship and residency in Anesthesia at the Bishop DeGoesbriand, Mary Fletcher, and Fanny Allen Hospitals at the University of Vermont, and Antonio completed training in Pathology. Due to visa requirements, they spent two years in Ottawa, Canada before returning to Tupper Lake, NY, and later settling back in Vermont. Francisca worked as an Anesthesiologist at the Central Vermont Medical Center from 1965 until the early 1970s.
Francisca’s parents joined them in Vermont after the 1965 revolution in the Dominican Republic made it unsafe for them to stay. Francisca and Antonio became naturalized citizens of the United States in 1968. Francisca retired from her active medical practice and devoted herself to raising her three children and caring for her parents in a three-generation household.
The family moved to Erie in 1974 where Antonio joined Pathology Associates at Saint Vincent Hospital until his retirement in 1999. Erie was a welcome home for many happy years and they enjoyed many good, close friends. Francisca was very active in the Medical Auxiliary. She was a warm, gregarious, outgoing person and greatly enjoyed opening her home and spending time with her many friends and family while sharing her passion for food, cooking, and entertaining. She nurtured relationships with many friends across the U.S. and extended family overseas. Francisca treasured family and friendships and she cherished her grandkids, showering them with love, affection, and wonderful meals for many happy years!
Francisca is preceded in death by her loving and devoted husband of 54 years Antonio, who passed away in 2009. Francisca is survived by her son Anthony and grandchildren Victoria and Sophie; son David, wife Renee and grandchildren Nicolas and Abigail; and son Daniel, wife Pam and grandchildren Lauren and Michael. Francisca leaves behind many cousins, nieces, and nephews belonging to the Singla and Tornos families in Catalonia and Aragon, Spain and the German family in the Dominican Republic, and many loving and supportive friends in the Erie community.
Francisca’s family is blessed to have had a loving, caring mother who had a passion for life, family and friends. Francisca and Antonio provided selflessly for their children, sacrificing the deep love they had for their home countries and culture so that their children could flourish in a country with freedom and opportunity. We are forever grateful and will miss them dearly.
Following a private service at the Kloecker Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., a private burial was held at Laurel Hill Cemetery on Sunday, December 27. Messages of condolence may be shared at www.kloeckerfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Francisca’s name to the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Sight Center of Northwest PA, or Stairways Behavioral Health.
Francisca was born on April 2, 1929, the only child of Serafin Singla and Teresa Tornos in Peralta de Alcofea , Huesca, Spain. Her father was an educator and was active in the provincial Catalan government. As the Spanish Civil War raged in the late 1930s General Franco defeated the elected government, and the family escaped to France in January 1939. Francisca and her family endured harsh conditions in refugee camps in France for a year. Following the start of the Second World War, the family left Europe and emigrated to the Dominican Republic in 1940. Francisca lived there for 15 years and graduated from medical school in 1952. While in medical school, she fell in love with her classmate Antonio German Olivier, and they married on December 19, 1954. Antonio was active in the opposition underground against the ruthless dictator Trujillo. Life in the Dominican Republic was very precarious, and Francisca and Antonio emigrated to the United States to continue their careers and start a family.
Following her arrival in Burlington, Vermont, Francisca completed her medical internship and residency in Anesthesia at the Bishop DeGoesbriand, Mary Fletcher, and Fanny Allen Hospitals at the University of Vermont, and Antonio completed training in Pathology. Due to visa requirements, they spent two years in Ottawa, Canada before returning to Tupper Lake, NY, and later settling back in Vermont. Francisca worked as an Anesthesiologist at the Central Vermont Medical Center from 1965 until the early 1970s.
Francisca’s parents joined them in Vermont after the 1965 revolution in the Dominican Republic made it unsafe for them to stay. Francisca and Antonio became naturalized citizens of the United States in 1968. Francisca retired from her active medical practice and devoted herself to raising her three children and caring for her parents in a three-generation household.
The family moved to Erie in 1974 where Antonio joined Pathology Associates at Saint Vincent Hospital until his retirement in 1999. Erie was a welcome home for many happy years and they enjoyed many good, close friends. Francisca was very active in the Medical Auxiliary. She was a warm, gregarious, outgoing person and greatly enjoyed opening her home and spending time with her many friends and family while sharing her passion for food, cooking, and entertaining. She nurtured relationships with many friends across the U.S. and extended family overseas. Francisca treasured family and friendships and she cherished her grandkids, showering them with love, affection, and wonderful meals for many happy years!
Francisca is preceded in death by her loving and devoted husband of 54 years Antonio, who passed away in 2009. Francisca is survived by her son Anthony and grandchildren Victoria and Sophie; son David, wife Renee and grandchildren Nicolas and Abigail; and son Daniel, wife Pam and grandchildren Lauren and Michael. Francisca leaves behind many cousins, nieces, and nephews belonging to the Singla and Tornos families in Catalonia and Aragon, Spain and the German family in the Dominican Republic, and many loving and supportive friends in the Erie community.
Francisca’s family is blessed to have had a loving, caring mother who had a passion for life, family and friends. Francisca and Antonio provided selflessly for their children, sacrificing the deep love they had for their home countries and culture so that their children could flourish in a country with freedom and opportunity. We are forever grateful and will miss them dearly.
Following a private service at the Kloecker Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., a private burial was held at Laurel Hill Cemetery on Sunday, December 27. Messages of condolence may be shared at www.kloeckerfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Francisca’s name to the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Sight Center of Northwest PA, or Stairways Behavioral Health.