Obituary of Caroline Frances Sabia

Caroline Frances McDonald Sabia, known as Frances, of Walden, NY passed away peacefully on February 23, 2018, surrounded by her loving family. The daughter of the late Joseph and Caroline Herbert McDonald, she was born on March 10, 1926 in Brooklyn, NY. Caroline was the widow of Vincent J. Sabia; they had been married for 61 years. She was 91 years old. Caroline always said she was born with a mop and pail in her hands! She loved cleaning and doing wash. She did so much wash, we thought she was taking it in from the neighbors. Inviting her to dinner meant getting your whole kitchen cleaned. Caroline was always taking care of her family, friends and neighbors. She lived her life by numbers; she knew everyone’s birthdays and times. She avidly played lotto and enjoyed the casinos. During WWII, Caroline was proud to work in the Defense plant. She was a homemaker for many years. Caroline was a nanny for the Rubinson family and cared for Douglas and David as her own grandchildren. After moving to Florida, Caroline created her own business cleaning houses well into her 80s for “the old people”, most of whom were younger than her. She returned to New York after her husband passed and spent her remaining years caring for her great-grandchildren and spending time with her family. To quote a family friend that rings true in all of our hearts, she was one in a million, always kind, always thoughtful, always classy, such a lady. Grandma was a person who brought good things to this world. A true and gentle matriarch. We will fondly remember her wearing her high heels, her perfectly tamed curls, her dangling earrings, and her beautiful smiling face. Survivors include her daughters, Gail Lent of Walden and Lynn Ginda and her husband, Robert, also of Walden; grandchildren, Christy Lent and her partner, Chris, Jennifer Ginda-Krzeminski and her husband, Brian, Jayme Ginda-Baxter, Ian Zubowicz, Robert Ginda and his wife, Aline; her 14 great-grandchildren, Zackory, Coby, Jimmy, Gabriella, Scott, Caroline, Frances, Emma, Cooper, Julia, Joseph, Madelynn, Aiden and Collin; numerous nieces and nephews. Caroline was predeceased by her brother, John, and her sisters, Florence and Helen. Family and friends may call from 2-4PM and 7-9PM on Thursday, March 1st at the Gridley-Horan Funeral Home, 39 Orchard St. Walden, NY 12586. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Friday, March 2nd at 1:30 at the Church of the Most Precious Blood, 42 Walnut St. Walden, NY. Cremation will follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Caroline’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.