Frances Goekler-Morneau, 80, of New Haven, passed away on January 31, 2022 at Milford Health and Rehabilitation Center. A life-long educator and community advocate, she is survived by her husband Normand and children Annette (Mike) Flathers of Granville, OH and Norm (Sagar) Morneau of Chicago, IL. She also leaves behind five cherished grandchildren and six adored great-grandchildren, as well as many God-children, nieces and nephews.

Frances was born in New Haven on May 9, 1941 to the late Frank and Margaret Goekler, she is also survived by three sisters Margaret Marlowe, Sr. Eleanor Goekler, SMIC, Helen (Art) Macauley and her in-laws Henry (Virginia) Morneau, Lorraine McCarthy, Donna (Al) Renkewitz and Rosalie Killian. She is predeceased by her brother Rev. Thomas Goekler, MM, son Joseph Morneau and brothers-in-law Bob Marlowe, Jim Killian and Don McCarthy.

She grew up in Westville, attending St. Aedan's Church and St. Mary's High School where she was actively involved in Girl Scouts, leading a troop to the national jamboree in Colorado. She attended St. Joseph College in West Hartford for her undergraduate degree before pursuing a Master's Degree in Elementary Education from Southern Connecticut State University. An active adventurer she road-tripped across the US making it as far as Anchorage, Alaska. She also taught elementary school in the Caribbean before coming back to the US to teach in the Hamden/New Haven/North Haven area. After marrying she continued to teach in parochial schools, adult education classes, private tutoring for students who needed extra attention and English as a second language courses for people in need. A couple of cherished pastimes included camping with her husband in many places in the Northeast, as well as co-designing gifts of wood, then crafted by her husband.

Frances was also active with her local community in Fair Haven, participating with the Democratic committee to help at elections and encourage everyone to have a voice in the community. She worked to advocate for minority rights, working with numerous charities including the Amistad Catholic Worker House in New Haven.

She was active in her faith community, most recently at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Fair Haven. She was also a proud member of the Catholic Charity league throughout her lifetime participating in many of their activities and building lifelong friendships.

Calling hours will be Friday evening at 4:00pm-7:00pm at Hamden Memorial Funeral Home, 1300 Dixwell Ave. Please note that we are practicing social distancing during the calling hours. Family and friends are asked to go directly to church where, A Mass of Christian Burial will be at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, 397 Ferry St., New Haven Saturday at 10:00 am. Internment will follow in All Saints Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Amistad Catholic Worker House of which she was a devoted supporter. Condolences may be expressed at www.hamdenmemorialfuneralhome.com