Fran was born on June 27, 1952, to Pete and Dorothy Derbish of Pittsburgh, PA. She fell in love with her ride or die "bad boy" Mike Halligan who she married when she was 18 and traveled the US with as an Army wife. They could often be found riding motorcycles cross country with their friends raising hell! They eventually settled in Avoca, MI and lived and worked on the farm where she and Mike built their house and their home and raised their family. She went back to school and became a Registered Nurse, a job that brought her much joy. She loved gardening, crafting, home improvement projects, mowing the lawn, and spending time with her family. After Mike passed, she moved to Grand Rapids, MI with her dog Toto to be closer to her daughter and granddaughter and made many friends and many quilts! She attended many sporting and musical events to support her granddaughter Evan's many endeavors and was also very passionate about the ethical treatment of animals. She traveled each winter to Florida and enjoyed spending time with her boyfriend Cheech.

She was preceded in death by her parents Pete and Dorothy, her husband of 41 years Mike, her German Shepherds Hurricane and Toto, and many other furry friends. She is survived by her daughter Heather Halligan (Evan and Jim Arnold), son Michael Halligan (Zane and Ece Halligan), her siblings Diane, Pete, Rose, and Kenny, and her cat Daisy.

Francakes loved to quilt. She and her quilting ladies made hundreds of quilts each year for Lutheran World Relief that were shipped overseas for families in need. She belonged to the Northview Senior center where she crafted alongside her friends. She was a Frantastic cook and is known for her mac and cheese and meatloaf as well as homemade pierogies. She is known for speaking her mind and we wouldn't have had it any other way!

She will be missed tremendously and had a great impact in the lives of everyone she knew and loved.

The family will be holding a virtual memorial service. Check back for details. Service Details. Online Memory & Photo Sharing Event Ongoing Online Event About this event In Loving Memory Of Frances Halligan June 27, 1952 - January 1, 2022 Look inside to read what others have shared Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in this book. View Tribute Book