Mary B. DeFrancesco, 92, of Forks Township, formerly of Phillipsburg, died Thursday, January 25, 2007 in St. Luke's Hospice, Lower Saucon Twp.

Born December 15, 1914 in Harmony Township, she was a daughter of the late Gaetano and Rose Maranara Bianco.

She was a member of St. Philip and St. James Catholic Church; Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court Warren #389; she volunteered for the Junior Catholic Daughters; was a past president of St. Philip and St. James Elementary School PTA, she played cards in several card clubs and greatly enjoyed gardening in her back yard.

Mary met her husband of fifty-one years, the late Anthony J. "Tony Dee" DeFranceso, while they both worked at the former M.M. Bernstein & Sons Garment Factory in Phillipsburg. As a devoted wife, Mary supported her husband in his many religious, civic and fraternal organizations and supported him in the operation of "Dee's Barbershop" from their home on Schultz Avenue. Mary also helped Tony to organize "Phillipsburg Day at the Vet" for twenty-nine years until his death in 1999.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Deborah D. Wyant and her husband James of Forks Township; a granddaughter, Leah Rachelle Weikel and her husband Matthew and a grandson, Michael Anthony DeFrancesco Wyant. She was looking forward to the birth of her first great-grandchild next month. She was predeceased by four brothers, Louis, Carmelo, Carl and Joseph and two sisters, Stebastiana Marina and Catherine Middei.

Services will begin 9:00 a.m. Monday in the Noto-Wynkoop Funeral Home, 289 South Main St., Phillipsburg. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. in the church, 426 South Main St., Phillipsburg. Entombment will be in Holy Apostle's Mausoleum, Greenwich Twp. Visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home.

Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting www.noto-wynkoop.com.

Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider contributions to Leah R. Weikel, sent in care of the funeral home, to be used to start an education fund for Mary's expected great-grandchild.