Frances Merola Abbagnaro, 94, of Guilford, died peacefully on September 30, 2024, at Connecticut Hospice. She was the wife of the late Peter J. Abbagnaro. Born in New Haven on June 3, 1932, to the late Lawrence and Alice Esposito Merola, Frances was a graduate of Commercial High School.

She began working at Echlin then as a lunch aid at Nathan Hale School and later as a counter at WPI Pharmaceuticals. Frances loved her family. She enjoyed cooking and baking for everyone and took great pride in watching her family enjoy her food while sitting around the table. Frances also loved to crochet. Everyone who was important to her got a blanket, some got two.

She was the loving mother of JoAnn (Bill) Adinolfi, John (Arlene) and Peter T. (Ana) Abbagnaro. She was lovingly known as “Gigi” to her 9 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be Friday October 4, 2024, from 9:00-10:00am in the Iovanne Funeral Home, Inc. 11 Wooster Place, New Haven. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish at St. Bernadette Church, 385 Townsend Ave. at 11:00am. Burial will be private.