Francoise Germaine Lampe

Francoise Germaine (Heuillard) Lampe, 81, of Ridgefield, died peacefully on May 15th, 2023. She was the loving wife of Charles R. Lampe.

Francoise was born July 28, 1941, in Blaise-sous-Arzillieres, a small village in the Champagne region of France. She was the daughter of Andre George Heuillard and Rose Celestine (Rollet) Heuillard. As a child she excelled as a student, achieving many awards for academic excellence.

Following her secondary school education, she began teaching elementary school in a one room schoolhouse in a remote French village teaching multiple grades simultaneously. Later, Francoise continued her education in business administration at the University of Paris – La Sorbonne.

After receiving her degree, she moved to London in 1966 working for Rank Xerox as a computer programmer. In 1968 she transferred to the United States working for Xerox headquarters in Rochester, New York. She obtained her US citizenship in 1978. Francoise joined IBM in 1970 in White Plains, New York in the finance organization. Over the next 39 years, she worked for IBM in financial management during which time she met her husband. They were married in 1976 and settled in Ridgefield, Connecticut the same year. They had the opportunity to enjoy over six years together on a joint international assignment in Paris, France travelling Europe extensively. Before returning to the United States, they established a permanent residence in Paris to which they returned regularly and used as a base for continued European travel for years to come.

In retirement Francoise and her husband built a beach house on Topsail Island, North Carolina, where she enjoyed entertaining friends and family during summers. She also enjoyed boating on the Connecticut river on their cabin cruiser MER-SEA, as well as cooking and entertaining in their historical Ridgefield residence painstakingly restored over many years.

She developed an avid interest in genealogy and lectured locally on French, French-Canadian, and German genealogy. She also rekindled her teaching career by teaching multiple levels of French language at both Founders Hall and Ridgefield Continuing Education.

Francoise is survived by her husband of 46 years, Charles. She was pre-deceased by her brother, Jean-Jacques Heuillard.

Family and friends will be received on Saturday, May 27, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Kane Funeral Home; 25 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. Interment will take place privately.

Contributions in Francoise's memory may be made to the MGH Stem Cell Discovery Fund - C/O Mass. General Development Office; 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540; Boston, MA 02114, https://giving.massgeneral.org/where-to-give/the-mgh-fund/.

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