Francesca (Giovanatto) Cantarutti, 84, died peacefully at her home in San Rafael, California in the presence of her loving family. Francesca was born on March 3, 1937 in Coseano, a Province of Udine in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy, and grew up in nearby Cisterna, Italy.
She was the fourth child of Francesco and Alice (Masotti) Giovanatto. On July 18, 1959 Francesca married Ippolito Gaspardo, but tragically lost her husband a few months later while she was pregnant with her first child, Dino.
In 1966 Francesca emigrated to Windsor, Canada with Dino. Soon thereafter, she met Reno Cantarutti from El Cerrito, California. They were married on October 29, 1966 and she moved to California with Reno on December 30, 1966. Francesca lived in San Rafael from August 1969 until her passing.
She is predeceased by her parents and siblings, Fides, Giuseppe, Livino and Lucio; and is survived by sisters Loretta and Maria; her husband Reno; her sons Dino (Ana), Steven (Laura), and Gary; and many grandchildren.
Francesca was a wonderful and loving spouse, mother, and grandmother, who believed her purpose in life was to serve God and to care for others, family and strangers alike. A devout Roman Catholic, she volunteered at St. Isabella’s Parish in Terra Linda to clean and prepare arrangements at the church, and at the Poor Sisters of Nazareth House, where she cared for and fed the elderly residents. Despite the various personal losses and medical hardships she endured throughout her life, Francesca was always steadfast in her faith in God, our Savior Jesus Christ, and our Blessed Mother Mary. And all the while, she always made life easier and gentler for others with her tenderness and grace. Francesca possessed that rare beauty that was both visible and spiritual, a reflection of the purity of her soul. She was truly an angel without wings in our midst and will be missed by those who either knew her well or encountered her by chance. Requiescat in pace, Francesca.
There will be a vigil Rosary on January 20, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.; and funeral Mass on January 21, 2022 at 12:00 p.m., both of which will be held at St. Isabella’s Church, followed by the committal ceremony at approximately 2:30 p.m. at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Terra Linda.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Francesca’s memory to St. Isabella’s Parish.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Francesca (Giovanatto) Cantarutti, please visit our floral store.