Southborough – Francoise M. (Tasse) Spayne, 85, of Southborough, passed away peacefully Friday, May 15, 2015. She was the beloved wife for 48 years of the late Robert W. Spayne, who passed away in 2010.
Born and raised in Worcester, she was the daughter of the late Dr. J. Rene and Jeanne (Laurendeau) Tasse.
She is survived by her brothers, Rene Tasse of Pennsylvania and Jean Tasse of Worcester; her daughter, Elizabeth Spayne of Natick; her son, Robert T. Spayne and his wife Maria Ballesteros-Sola of Westlake Village, Calif.; her grandchildren, Robert Jon and Ignacio Tasse Spayne; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her sisters, Denyse (Tasse) Courtney and Monique (Tasse) Miville.
Fran received her Bachelor’s degree in 1953 from Anna Maria College in Paxton where she was valedictorian and served as a class officer. She was a life-long learner who also took classes at Assumption College.
Until marrying and starting her family, Fran worked as a first grade teacher in Northborough and in her father’s dental office in Worcester.
Devoted to her family, Fran was also active in Southborough’s civic affairs, serving as an election officer and oversaw her husband’s successful campaigns for Southborough School Committee. She helped start and edit the first edition of the Southborough Villager, a local newspaper where she also wrote news stories and had her own book review column, “Fran Spayne Reviews.”
A voracious reader, Fran volunteered, and then worked on staff, at the Southborough Library for many years. After retirement, she spent time working on projects with her husband, translating family history, gushing about her grandkids, and traveling to Europe. Her kind and generous heart, her penchant for learning, her sharp wit and her signature desserts will be missed by all.
A funeral Mass will be held Wednesday, May 20, at 11 a.m., at St. Matthew Church, 26 Highland St., Southborough. Burial will follow in the Southborough Rural Cemetery.
Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, May 20, from 9-10:30 a.m., at the Morris Funeral Home, 40 Main St. (Route 30), Southborough.
An expression of sympathy or a memorial donation may be made to the Friends of the Southborough Library, 25 Main St., Southborough, MA 01772.
