Frances Delores Kristoff, photographed in 2015 on her 100th birthday.
Frances Delores Kristoff, beloved mother and grandmother, died peacefully in Greenwich on January 22, 2018. She was 102.
Frances was born Providencia Fina, along with her twin sister Illuminata “Lena,”on July 4, 1915 in Chicago, Illinois to Santo and Anna (Leta) Fina. Shortly thereafter the Fina family moved from Chicago to Byram where Anna’s family had emigrated from Sicily. The Finas first lived on top of the Sokol Club on Mill Street in Byram and then moved to North Water Street in 1920.
Santo owned and operated Fina’s market on Mill Street in Byram. Frances worked there for a spell, as did her brother Nick and sisters Lena and Santa, but it was her brother Peter who was in charge of the market for most of his life. He was famous all over Greenwich for his fruit baskets. The market remained in the family until closing in the 1990s.
Frances also worked at the S&K Vest company on Henry Street in Byram and went on to work at Daitch Shopwell on Greenwich Avenue, and later in Stamford and Rye.
Frances married Frank James Kristoff, also of Byram, on November 30, 1935. They were married for 62 years. Frank worked at Homelite during the war years and then for the Town of Greenwich until he retired.
Frances liked to say that she was “born with a bang” on the 4th of July. She loved playing cards and doing circle-a-word puzzles. She was a devout Catholic and a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Parish in Byram. She hosted Sunday dinners for family in her kitchen for many years. She was also an extremely talented knitter and hosted a knitting club in her home in the 1950s and created many things for the children in the family. She has a special way with people and was known as “Nana” to everyone who knew her.
Frances is predeceased by her husband Frank, her parents Santo and Anna, her siblings Santa (Granatini), Nick, Peter, and Lena (Minniti), daughter-in-law Anne (Michael), and granddaughter Lauren Frances (Robert).
She is survived by two sons, Robert (owner of Byram Tile) and his wife Bonny (Glifort) and Michael (a retired Greenwich Police Officer) and his longtime companion Rosemary, both of Greenwich; four grandchildren – Michael Kristoff of Stamford, Anne Kristoff of New York City, Kimberly Kristoff of Greenwich, and Jessica Kristoff of Bridgeport; two great-grandchildren, twins Anne Marie and Tylar Rose Kristoff (daughters of Michael, Jr.) of Paradise, California, nieces and nephews – Ciro Granatini, Maryann (Granitini) Pollaro, Sheryl (Fina) Shea, Karen Fina, Mark Fina, Peter Fina, Joanne (Fina) Costanza, Liz (Minniti) Raynor, and many grand-nieces and nephews.
Visitation is Thursday, January 25th, 2018 4:00pm – 8:00pm at Castiglione Funeral Home, 544 Old Post Rd. #3, Greenwich, CT.
The service is Friday, January 26th, 2018 at 10:00am at Sacred Heart Church, at 95 Henry Street in Byram.