Editor's Desk: Goodbye, Aunt Fran

As someone who was raised as an only child, and for many years solely by my mother, my extended family meant everything to me growing up. At least on the maternal side of things.

I was never close to my paternal relatives — except for my wonderful sister, much later in life — in part because of the strained and complicated relationships my father had with them. In contrast, my mom’s side of the family couldn’t seem to get enough of each other.

Or at least I couldn’t get enough of them. I was the baby of the baby for over a decade, which meant I was usually spoiled rotten and showered in love, so hangouts and holidays were always my jam.

I was particularly close with my grandmother — my partner in crime and forever my favorite — as well as my two aunts, who never stopped making me feel safe and secure. It made a difference in my life from an early age.

I loved them for many reasons, but especially for gifting me with my cousins. We were all over the place when it came to our ages, but they were my first best friends. I love them still.

As I write this it’s only been a few days since I got to see them, a rare and wonderful thing that took place for the worst of reasons. I recently got back from an unexpected trip up north because my Aunt Fran passed away last month, just short of turning 79.

“Fran, as she was best known, was a retired hairdresser, and previously owned her own hair salon, After Images,” her obituary reads. “… She loved spending her time fishing and camping with her husband at Dale Hollow Lake. She also enjoyed working puzzles and coloring as well as feeding birds and especially loved peacocks. She was an avid fan of Bob Seger.”

She was much more to me, to my mom, her children, our family and of course to many others, and I think anyone who knew her would agree we were lucky to have her. She made everyone feel like they were the center of her world.

She also practiced some tough love, something I experienced firsthand. But whether she was chucking my Flintstones bottle out of the car because two years old was “too old” to drink from it — or she was rescuing me from my cousin Casey when he convinced me their attic had monsters in it while I was trying to go to bed — she always had my best interests at heart.

That never changed, even as an adult living in Florida. (Which she had no problem telling me to “move home” from.)

Her health made travel difficult so I didn’t see her much, but over the last few years we connected in some incredible ways. I’ll never forget introducing her to my husband on one visit, and seeing my worlds collide as they hugged, and I’ll forever be grateful to Facebook for keeping us close.

Say what you will about the social media platform, and there’s plenty to say, but it does some good in this life. Aunt Fran used it to “poke” me all the time, an original feature that recently made a comeback.

I’m on my computer all day for work, so I’d poke her back almost immediately. We would poke one another all day sometimes, often well into the night.

It had been around a month or so since she’d gotten back to me, but I checked our tally after she passed. We went back and forth a total of 2,359 times.

Facebook characterizes anything over 1,000 pokes between friends with a diamond emoji, which is fitting for Aunt Fran. She faced so much hardship in life but couldn’t have come out more beautiful.

Every one of those pokes was an I love you. It was a hug. And I’ll cherish them always.

I know my Aunt Fran will be with our family forever, and I know because she’d call me a brat for believing anything less. Then she’d laugh and hug me like only she could. Maybe with a poke for good measure.

Thank you for a lifetime of love and laughter, Aunt Fran. I love you.

In this issue we preview The Ryot Tour, which visits Orlando and St. Petersburg this month with fan favorite entertainers from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and “The Voice.”

We also feature an LGBTQ+ travel section and present the latest in local news. Pride & Passion prepares to mark its 20th in Tampa while TIGLFF holds its 37th film festival across the greater Tampa Bay region. In Orlando, Out Fest makes a mark of its own.

Watermark Out News is proud to be your LGBTQ+ news source. Stay safe, stay informed and enjoy this latest issue.