Frances A Crosswhite

On February 28, 2025 the world lost a beautiful soul; while heaven received an angel named Frances Adelea Crosswhite. Frances was born November 19, 1939 in Trenton, New Jersey to the late Charles and Evelyn Stokes. A soldier for the Lord, she was 85 years old.

The oldest of seven children, Frances was a natural caregiver, born to lead, persevere and help anyone who crossed her path. After graduating from high school she went on to pursue nursing classes at the University of Pennsylvania, but love, marriage and children put that dream on hold. The majority of her life's journey was in Westchester County, New York with her beloved late husband, Wendell Lee Crosswhite and their four children: Gregory, Rodric, Karla and Michael. She told our dad, "I will be the CEO of our home, and you the CEO in the world." And so it was. She was a classic mother, what God intended mothers to be. She made the home for her family a place of safety, serenity, full of laughter, joy and family traditions. Always on the go, she still found time to be active in the community, including National Urban League, NAACP, neighborhood committees, garden clubs, voting registration drives, and local and national charities helping women and children and the less fortunate through volunteer work. She was a girl scout, brownie, and blue bird leader of her daughter's troops, and always involved in the parent teacher associations at her children's schools. Her compassion for others was unparalleled and was evident in her involvement with her church, St. Simon Episcopal in New Rochelle, New York where she served diligently on the vestry. Frances began her 30+ year career in real estate in the 1970s, breaking barriers and fighting the system to help people of color achieve home ownership. Along the way winning awards and recognition for her work at Realty World, Remax, Century 21 and Keller Williams.

Friends called her "Fran" and others "Mrs. C". To her family she was mom, nana, grandma, auntie, sister and niece. With all her accomplishments, nothing was more important to her than God and family. She is survived by her four children: Gregory Crosswhite, Rodric Crosswhite, Karla Crosswhite-Chigbue (Brian) and Michael Crosswhite (Teressa); five grandchildren: Anthony Smith, Na'emma Crosswhite, Aaron Crosswhite, Arriana Crosswhite and Eli Chigbue; two sisters: Sharon and Kharon Stokes; an aunt, Laura "Betsy" Breenwood; an uncle, Norman "Bobby" Warren, and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins and friends. She is preceded in death by four siblings: Lynda, "Butch", Larry and Johnny.

Frances loved God's creation, sunsets and risings, bird watching, beautiful gardens, or just sitting on the beach gazing at the waves. She loved board games and puzzles and was a celebrated bowler in her younger days. She loved to cook (one of the best) and entertaining friends and family, reading scriptures in the evenings, listening to classical music, going to the theater and all things art. She laughed hard and loved big. She did it all with elegance, style and grace. Forever in our hearts. Well done, to a good and faithful servant.