Obituary of Frances O'Malley

Frances O'Malley, age 51, passed away peacefully on May 1, 2017, after a long battle with multiple sclerosis. She was surrounded by close family, and superb staff at the Suburban Community Hospital in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Frances was born in London, England, on January 28, 1966, to Frederick and Pamela O'Malley. Her father's career in international banking took Frances and her siblings around the world many times over. From London to Tokyo to Bahrain to Greece to Montreal, Frances received the richest of cultural educations. After the family returned to the United States, Frances found her stride as a member of the varsity track team at Bronxville High School in Bronxville, New York. Led by local legend Jim Mitchell, she and her fellow Broncos cemented a school tradition of dominating the 3200-meter relay from the State Championships to the Junior Nationals. She studied economics at Fordham University in New York, where she forged many life-long friendships. After college, she ventured out to San Francisco where she thrived personally and professionally for nearly a decade. During that period, she lived life to the fullest, made many lasting friendships, and broke more than a few hearts. In the late 90s, she spent several years in Paris, and then returned home to New York to be closer to her original family. Thanks to a rare mix of beauty, optimism, intelligence, and genuine regard for others, Frances left a lasting and positive impression on so many people she met. In later years, as her multiple sclerosis progressed, Frances formed mutually-supportive relationships with those who shared her diagnosis, along with many of her saintly caretakers. Despite her illness, Frances refused to surrender her creative passions, which included photography, graphic design, and cooking. Her determination to continue enjoying life and pushing her creative limits was an inspiration for people with and without physical illness. All along, Frances never lost her bright spirit, her sharp sense of humor, her immense integrity, or her natural grace. Frances is survived by her sister Bridget and Bridget's children, Justin, Mika, and Zac; her brother Brian; her brother Neil and his son Cassius; her brother Gavin and his wife Alexis Davis; and her step-mother Teresa Kinney. Please join us in celebrating Frances' life Sunday morning, May 7, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 12pm with a 12 noon Prayer Service at Lownes Family Funeral Home, 659 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Philadelphia Horticultural Society at http://phsonline.org -- in honor of Fran's love of gardening -- or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Donate.