Frances Helen Coassin

Frances Helen Coassin, aged 91, gracefully departed this world on April 25, 2024. Born in the vibrant borough of Bronx, New York in 1933, she embarked on a journey that would ultimately culminate in Connecticut, where she resided until her final days.

Frances was the cherished wife of Aldo Coassin for 58 years, a partnership that blossomed into a legacy of love and family. Together, they nurtured four children, welcomed and celebrated eight grandchildren, and rejoiced in the presence of five great-grandchildren.

As a mother to Diane Conti, Dean Coassin, Gina Dillion, and Tina Deconne, Frances embodied unwavering support and boundless inspiration. Her kitchen was a sanctuary of homemade delights, where she not only nourished bodies but also nurtured souls with unconditional love and encouragement. Frances was the epitome of maternal devotion, her affection for her family expressed in every “love you more” and every heartfelt cheer.

In the tapestry of her life, Frances intricately wove friendships that spanned

January 1, 1933 - April 25, 2024

distances and decades.

Her thoughtful gestures, be it handwritten cards or scheduled phone calls, were the threads that kept her connected to those she held dear. From leisurely trips to the ocean’s embrace to spirited excursions to casinos and shopping havens, Frances reveled in the joys of companionship and exploration. The allure of distant shores beckoned her, leading to countless adventures aboard Caribbean cruises and Mexican escapades, with Florida earning a special place in her heart as her second home.

Born to Vincent and Irma Caravello, immigrants who found solace and success in the American dream, Frances was a beacon of resilience and entrepreneurial spirit. Her involvement in her parents’ hardware business laid the foundation for her role as a partner in managing a strip mall, a responsibility she shouldered with grace following their passing. Her tenure at Sears, marked by her affable demeanor and sales acumen, culminated in nearly two decades of dedicated service, a testament to her commitment to excellence.

Beyond her roles as wife, mother, and businesswoman, Frances possessed a kaleidoscope of talents. A wordsmith at heart, she found solace in writing, drew inspiration from painting, and immersed herself in the narratives of biographies. Her encyclopedic knowledge of Hollywood’s golden era stood as a testament to her insatiable curiosity and love for storytelling.

As we bid farewell to Frances, we acknowledge the profound impact she had on all who had the privilege of crossing her path. Her legacy, woven with threads of love, resilience, and boundless generosity, will endure through the generations. In her embrace, we found solace; in her wisdom, we found guidance. Though she may have departed this world, her spirit will forever linger, a guiding light illuminating our paths as we navigate the journey of life.

Frances lived not just a full life, but a life enriched by the simple pleasures of family, friendship, and the serenity of the ocean’s embrace. Her presence will be missed, but her essence will forever resonate in our hearts, a timeless melody of love and cherished memories.

Her funeral procession will leave the PORTO FUNERAL HOME, 830 Jones Hill Rd., West Haven Monday morning at 10:30. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Holy Infant Church, 450 Racebrook Rd., Orange at 11:00. Interment will be private. Friends may call MONDAY MORNING from 8:30-10:30. Memorial contributions may be made to Compassus Hospice, 612 Wheeler’s Farm Rd. #103, Milford, CT 06461. Sign Frances’s guest book online at www.portofuneralhomes. net. a certified lactation consultant and lesstrained lactation counselors.

Two other Democrats joined Gonzalez in opposing the legislation, while 19 Republicans voted with Democrats in the eventual 109-37 tally in favor of the bill, which would create a $200 license fee for consultants certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners after training that includes 1,000 hours of clinical practice.

Lactation counselors can coach mothers and mothers-to-be after 45 hours of education and 18 hours of clinical practice.

McCarthy Vahey, cochairwoman of the legislative Public Health Committee said the bill would help every parent seeking to clarify and receive the type of care they need, choose and deserve. She noted that minority communities in particular benefit when mothers breast feed their babies. “These clinical services are, in many cases, needed, where we have the most-vulnerable infants who are born with very low birth weights,” she said. Certified consultants may take patient histories, make clinical assessments, analyze data and communicate with primary medical providers.

During exchanges with Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria of Seymour, a ranking Republican on the Public Health Committee, who supported the bill, McCarthy Vahey and Leeper noted the health benefits of breast feeding. Leeper, who led a working group on the issue that recommended the licensure recommendation, also stressed the benefits of certified consultants.

“For anyone here who has given birth or witnessed a loved one give birth, you know how important additional care, attention, support is during that time,” Leeper said, adding that the next step on the issue is to get low-income mothers eligible for Medicaid funding for the use of lactation consultants. She said that breast feeding reduces hypertension and infant mortality by 21 percent overall. That number increases to 31 percent for Black infants.

“Currently, anyone can call themselves a lactation consultant, even with minimal training and without a board certification,” Klarides-Ditria said. “The public has no means of IDing a qualified lactation consultant, and no protection from unqualified practitioners. So in the state of Connecticut, licensure would assure customers, employers, hospitals and other health care providers and organizations that they are engaged with qualified, educated providers.”

There are many new mothers who need help with the basics that aren’t always intuitive, or how to continue breast feeding after returning to the workplace, proponents say. Many who don’t have support often give up.

“For many people breast feeding does not come naturally, and the fact that it is assumed that it would come naturally contributes to stigma that often times causes individuals not to seek help for breast feeding,” said Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, D-West Hartford, co-chairwoman of the legislature’s Human Services Committee. “So anything we can do in this state to support individuals to breast feed in this state I think is an important measure, which is why I support this.”

The bill next moves to the Senate for debate as the General Assembly’s midnight, May 8 adjournment date looms.