Frances Irene Hodge's Obituary
Frances I. (Nervina) Hodge (a.k.a. Toby, Annie Frannie, Grandma Fran), 82, of Georgetown, Delaware, passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at DE A Rehab (formerly Harrison Senior Living) in the company of her daughter and daughter-in-law, Carol Scileppi, after 13 years of living with dementia.
Born in Auburn, New York, and the youngest of eight children, she attended St. Hyacinth Catholic School. She went on to West High School but left before graduation to work and help support her family. In 1971, she returned to school and obtained her GED.
She enjoyed cooking, laughing, dancing (winning many dance contests in high school), and board games (Dominoes, Yahtzee, Pinochle, Scrabble, Pitch). She also had a passion for playing bingo. Frances held a number of different jobs throughout her life, including owning her own catering business, waitressing, and providing private home care for elders. Later in life, she moved to North Fort Myers, Florida, where she worked for 10 years as Food Services Director for Alterra, a specialized memory care facility for individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia. For seven years, she was a member of the women’s auxiliary for the Elbridge Fire Department.
She was very artistic and enjoyed singing in church choirs. Her musical heartthrob was Engelbert Humperdinck, though she also enjoyed an eclectic mix including Il Divo, Mamas and the Papas, Karen Carpenter, and hits from the 1950s and 1960s. She loved walking on ocean beaches and visiting lighthouses, and she built a large lighthouse collection. Her dream was to live in a lighthouse. Two years after her diagnosis, she climbed the Hatteras Lighthouse and was overwhelmed with the view from the top, smiling in awe and gratitude—she was so proud of herself!
She is predeceased by her mother, Francis (Mac) Nervina; her son, Daniel Allen McNickol; and five brothers: Raymond, Ronald, Eugene (Herbie), J.R., and Francis (Dude). She is survived by her daughter, Valerie McNickol (Carol Scileppi); sisters Joan (Cooper) and Valencia (Bellnier); grandchildren Hannah McNickol, Bailee McNickol Brooks (Sam), and Shawn Scileppi Gonzales (Talia); great-grandchildren Averie Diaz-McNickol, Danni Brooks, Shai Ward, Anna and Isabella Hughes; and many nieces and nephews.
Following cremation, her ashes will travel across the U.S. over the coming year and be scattered at several of her favorite lighthouses. A memorial service in her name will be held at St. Hyacinth Catholic Church in Auburn, New York (date TBD).
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to any animal charity of your choice, Delaware Hospice, local food pantries, or the Alzheimer’s Association.
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