It was a shock to hear the news of Francoise’s passing. She was so full of life – joie de vivre – that I couldn’t imagine her leaving us so soon. But as she and her husband Brad clearly knew, life truly is a lesson in impermanence. She was so connected to life and yet so prepared to let go.
I met Francoise when Walter Fordham recommended her as a web designer. We worked together on several different sites. I felt so lucky, actually blessed, to be working with someone so talented and committed to her work. She was both an artist and also talented in the technical side of creating a website. Her sense of design was awesome. She was meticulous. She was demanding of herself and also somewhat demanding of her clients—she didn’t hesitate to give honest feedback, yet she was also so appreciative. She had a great sense of humour. Those of us who were lucky enough to have her as our web designer KNEW that we were very fortunate. We didn’t need a secret handshake. We just used her name. Francoise. When you say it with feeling, it says it all!
Such a devoted practitioner. Her love for Thrangu Rinpoche was so genuine and without bounds. May this connection carry into the future!
And her love for Brad was so apparent and so genuine. I liked the way she said “Brad.” Actually, I liked the way she talked altogether!
If you worked with her, it was not unusual to be invited to share a café—in a café or in her home. She knew how to celebrate life in the ordinary, small moments. Once, after we had been working together for about a year, we had a holiday dinner together, to celebrate the work and the year end. We went to a good restaurant, got carried away and drank too much wine and stayed out rather late, for older ladies. It was a lot of fun and I think it freaked Brad out, but he forgave us, I think.
She loved her family, without a doubt. She spoke often of her mother and her siblings. It was a pleasure to get to know her cousin, Didier, and now he will carry on her website work, we hope. I just read about the plan that Brad and Francoise had for a retirement home, with her brother, Vincent’s, contribution. It seems so fitting that, even in her last days, Francoise was thinking of others, and that this is what brought her joy. Perhaps, somehow she is also giving a gift to Brad – something that he can do to honour her.
Adieu, Francoise, and merci beaucoups. May you travel well.