Frances Marion (Vigliotti) Gibson

Frances Marion (Vigliotti) Gibson age 100 of Groton and former long-time resident of Concord passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 17, 2021 with her family by her side. She was the wife of the late George Berl Gibson.

Frances Marion Vigliotti was born on May 16, 1921 at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts a daughter to the late Luigi Enrico and Osanna Louisa (Donini) Vigliotti.

Raised in the family home and farm in West Concord, Frances graduated from Concord High School with the class of 1939. In 1944 she married George Berl Gibson and they remained in Concord where they raised their family. Frances was a devoted wife and loving mother who valued her cherished role as the matriarch of the family. In her early years she worked various part-time jobs throughout the Concord community including Richardson's Drug Store, Howard Johnson's, and the West Concord 5 & 10. She also owned a small nursery school from her home as well as working for the Concord Public Library and the Concord Middlesex savings bank.

Her father's garden provided her with the skills of planting, harvesting, canning and freezing all he planted. One year he planted 200 tomato plants which she was none to happy about. She also picked and bottled grape juice from the Concord Grape arbor her father planted when he purchased their home. While both of her parents worked, she was responsible for taking care of her brother Paul who was 10 years younger than her.

When her husband retired, they purchased a travel trailer and headed West to see the country. To see the "Purple Mountains and Amber Waves of grain" was her description. One of her husband's highlights was arriving at Yosemite National Park. He stayed up all night to watch the climbers scale El Capitan watching them through binoculars and was fascinated seeing them sleep overnight on the side of the mountain. Then onto Florida for the winter months walking on the beach, collecting seashells and soaking up the sun. On their way back to Massachusetts they stopped in Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky to visit her husband's side of the family. Throughout the rest of her life, she repeated the stories of their travels together.

Following the death of her husband in 1981 she purchased a home in Bingham Maine in 1984 and opened Mrs' G's Bed and Breakfast. She was fondly known as "The Mayor of Bingham". She was known for her famous blueberry muffins made from Maine's wild blueberries, her apple pies and her chocolate chip cookies all enjoyed by her guests, friends in Bingham and family near and far.

During this time Frances and her daughter Judy took a trip to Naples Italy then onto the village of Airola to visit her father's side of the family and meet with her cousins for the first time who still lived in the original Vigliotti home. She visited the cemetery where her father's parents were buried. It was a trip of a lifetime for her and her daughter, Judy being with her was a memory she cherished.

She was brought up in a musical family, her father playing the accordion and her mother singing Italian arias. She taught herself to play the piano and later in life bought herself a violin to take a stab at playing country and bluegrass music. The musical talent was passed on to her daughter Joanne playing the piano, her son George who was a very talented musician playing every instrument by ear, acoustic guitar he was known for and he was always accompanied by his brother Bill who was and is a talented guitarist and singer. Her grandson Tommy who is an accomplished guitarist and singer. Her great-grandson Max has the gift of playing piano by ear and her granddaughter Arianna and Lila have the gift of singing and her granddaughter Ava who also plays piano.

In 2010 Frances moved to Rivercourt Residences in West Groton to be near her daughter Joanne and her family. She was a member of the Rivercourt chorus, the knitting club and avid poker player, a seamstress altering clothing for the residents and making aprons from material with lobsters on it for all the kitchen staff for their annual Lobster Fest. She was also known as "Mrs G. Vice Director of Rivercourt". She was also a fan of the Boston Red Sox, Big Papi was her favorite. Also, a Patriots fan the "Gronk" and Tom Brady being her favorite.

Most of all she cherished her grandchildren guiding them from birth to adulthood setting an example of how to navigate the hills and valleys of life. Nan was a good listener and the keeper of the secrets. She always found the good in people, she loved deeply, was a devoted friend, storyteller and a very bright presence in so many lives.

Frances is survived by her daughter Joanne Gibson Schorn and her husband Tom of Groton and her son William Gibson of Pepperell; her sister-in-law Joan Vigliotti of Homosassa, Florida and her son Bob Dunlap of Sandwich, NH; grandchildren, Laura Schorn, Tommy Schorn, Mark Schorn and his wife Amy, Rob Dunlap, Anna Gibson Morin and Michael Gibson and his wife Katerina; great-grandchildren, Arianna Frankel, Lila Frankel and Max Frankel, Ava Schorn, Cynthia Morin and Kayla Dunlap Peaslee; great- great-grandchildren, Simon Peaslee and his sister Olivia Peaslee. Aunt to Barbara Vigliotti White, Edward Vigliotti, Gary Vigliotti, Robert Vigliotti, Paula Vigliotti Cutter and Michael Vigliotti.

She is also survived by her devoted friends who she considered family Doc Weiner, Peter and Jerry Toland, LeAnne Heiser, Susan Kennedy, Joyce Watson-O'Neil Senior Clinical Social Worker,also her visits from Mr. Wilson and his parents Jay and Nancy Tilley and for eleven years her loving and caring family at Rivercourt Residences.

Eleven years with Dr. Thomas Goodman who loved Frances as much as she loved him, along with the staff at Groton Medical Associates who loved and cared for Frances.

Frances was predeceased by her husband George Berl Gibson, brother Louis Vigliotti and his wife Edith, brother Paul Vigliotti; her son George B. Gibson Jr. and her daughter Judith Gibson Dunlap; nephew "Littleman" Louie Vigliotti and her great nephew Edward Vigliotti Pacito lovingly known as "Redwood" She is also predeceased by her very close friends, Sigrund Woodin, Lenny Palma, and Ruthie Anderson lovingly known by Frances as""Rootie Kazootie" her partner in crime at Concord Middlesex Savings Bank.

On Saturday, August 7, 2021 family and many friends gathered to honor and remember Frances for a graveside service at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord.

To view the recorded service please activate the following link https://youtu.be/reQQR9mz8dE

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in her memory to:
Massachusetts Audubon
208 South Great Road
Lincoln, Mass 01773
www.massaudubon.org


Arrangements under the care of Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap Street, Concord, MA 01742 978-369-3388 www.concordfuneral.com