Emily and Rick Francona wish you the best in 2024!
Some highlights of our 2023... |
African Safari
A trip to four countries in southern Africa - our best trip ever! Had a great time with our long-time friends Georgianne and Bernie Dunn
(Click on images for more photos) |
Cruise
Our ship - the Silversea Silver Nova - in port Valletta, Malta
Spain
 Portugal
 Malta
Rod and Pat Douglass - our travel companions
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(Click on country images for more photos)
Italy
 Gibraltar
Our favorite driver
Our favorite lounge
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This was actually a working cruise - Rick gave five presentations in return for the cruise
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Cousins Mini-Reunion - Arizona
A group of us cousins met up in Scottsdale to attend a Cleveland Guardians game duing spring training and see our cousin Terry Francona, manager of the Guardians in his final season.
Second row: Pete and Wendy Giannetti, Eric and Jay Sigler, Rick and Emily, Duane and Amy Shumaker
Bottom row: The gang at a restaurant, Tim McKinstry and Pete Giannetti, Rick and Emily
We're all mostly second cousins - Terry, Amy and I are first cousins
Emily and I took advantage of being in the area to get out to see the desert bloom and visit the Roosevelt Dam
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Port Townsend (Washington) 46th Annual Wooden Boat Festival
We joined friends (all retired Air Force) Dave and Carol Elliott at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. Dave is an accomplished boat builder, and has just been certified to captain 50-ton vessels (a nice size for a yacht). It also gave us the opportunity to visit long-time friend Millie North.
(The bridge in the lower left is the Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Colombia River at Astoria) |
Port Orford
A major event in town this year was a large forest fire that came within eight miles of the house - it took a major effort to control it
Great views - including a very unusual snowstorm early in the year
The "wine ladies" - Nanci Johnson, Cheryl Cherise, and Nancy Dowdy
Thanksgiving 2023 with our neighbors Kate Waters and Gary Stone - they put on quite a feast!
Rick continues to refine his mixologist and cooking skills
As we are under Air Refueling Track 8 (Southbound), we get a constant dose of "the sound of freedom"
Note the Oregon Air National Guard F-15 screaming by the house at treetop level
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California
Skies over the Coachella Valley
American pelican, Swainson's hawk
Green night heron, Costa's hummingbird
Our favorite Alsatian bistro
Rick at a church, Emily in communion mode
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Desert in bloom
A few of our favorite eateries
Pueblo Viejo, Enzo's, Il Corso, La Brasserie
Palm Springs Air Museum P-51 and C-47
USMC KC-130J tanker
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Friends
Goddaughter Melissa, Ellie, and Bernard on our deck
Dinners with "The Gang" in the desert
Dave and Rita Smith, Clive and Linda Clark, and us
With Tim and Leann Mobley in the desert
Bottom: Rick with Jim Polk on our deck - RIck and Jim flew together in the same Air Force squadron 50 years ago
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"The Gang" with Briggs and Cynthia Matsko in the desert
Two retired Army combat veteran colonels
Ben Hord and Peggy Hord in the desert
Georgianne and Bernie Dunn in South Africa
Oregon friends Hal and Francie Kibby in Borrego Springs
Bottom: with Colorado friends Pat and Linda Crane
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Rick's Grandkids
In 2024, Dominic will be 24, Dante 20, Bella 17, and Alexa 15
Alexa
Dom and Kayla
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 Bella
Dante's photo to go here
when he gets around to it....
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Volunteering
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Emily serves on the board of directors of Adopt-a-Village in Guatemala. The education and literacy programs for Maya children is a cause near and dear to her heart.
Her and Rick's volunteer time and financial support are their contributions to making a difference in people's lives!
Join them in this meaningful effort! |
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In Memoriam
Grete Bartesch
1931-2023
Emily's mother, Margarethe "Grete" Bartesch, née Folberth, died peacefully on November 23 at age 92 while in hospice care at Jennifer Gardens Assisted Living in Port Richey, Florida. Her quality of life had declined considerably following a two-week hospitalization in January to remove a severely infected eye, combined with increasing dementia.
Grete was preceded in death by her husband Michael (66),her sister Anna (age 95), her mother Sofie (92), and her father Michael (86). The youngest in her family, she was spared the hardship of 5+ years of forced labor in the Soviet Union after World War II - her three older sisters endured and survived that ordeal, but with serious consequences to their physical health and emotional wellbeing.
With Emily's sister Roswitha, who lives in Germany and is a retired caregiver and hospice volunteer, we remember Mama during better times, knowing she is now pain free. Also remembering her is her best friend Helga, who visited her whenever she was able and brought her much joy and friendship. Mom loved Schatzi, Helga's little dog, and was ever grateful for her husband Tony's assistance and practical advice during the decades they lived in the same neighborhood.
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Roupen Zakarian
1942-2023
Our neighbor, Roupen, passed after an aggressive case of ALS (more commonly called "Lou Gehrig's disease).
Prior to his illness, Roupen was an avid hiker and walker, and was often seen all over town, where he was known by just about everyone.
He will be missed.
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Rick
and Emily Francona
P.O. Box 1421 - Port Orford, Oregon 97465
rick@francona.net - @MiddleEastGuy
emily@francona.net
www.francona.com
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