Frances P. “Francine” Theriault, 77, of Wheeling, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 18, 2026.

Born on February 12, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois, Francine was the beloved daughter of Peter and Doris (née Faraoni) Tripoli. She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved brother, Micheal “Mickey” Tripoli, who passed away in 1984.

After graduating from William Howard Taft High School and obtaining her Associate Degree from William Rainey Harper College, Fran began her career at General Electric. While there, she formed one of her lifelong friendships with Bob Beasley. Bob was like an older brother to Francine, treating her with compassion and devotion throughout her life. She married the late Ed Theriault in 1970 and moved into the Hollywood Ridge neighborhood where she formed lasting friendships with Connie and the late Bill Hoos as well as the Shrout family and many other dear neighbors. She later obtained her Bachelor's Degree from Roosevelt University in 1991.

In her thirties, Francine was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Although the disease gradually took away her physical mobility, it never diminished her wit, determination, or spirited personality. She faced life’s challenges with remarkable resilience and an unmistakable sense of humor. She never let her condition define who she was. She was a real fighter who enjoyed living her life the way she could. Fran had a unique curiosity to learn new things and was interested in exploring a wide range of topics and sending funny emails to her beloved friends.

Francine found joy in life’s simple pleasures. She especially loved attending performances at the Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre, watching her favorite television shows—including Everybody Loves Raymond, M*A*S*H, Golden Girls, and Wheel of Fortune, which always made her smile—and spending time with her late beloved dogs, Bourbon and Taffy. Fran absolutely loved animals, and enjoyed watching shows on Animal Planet. She also enjoyed listening to music, including Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Dean Martin. She had an extraordinarily generous heart and never forgot a birthday, anniversary, or special occasion, making everyone she loved feel remembered and celebrated. She loved receiving pictures from relatives and friends and treasured looking at each one of them. She inherited her mother’s sharp wit, stubborn streak, and playful sarcasm—qualities that often made people laugh and made her all the more lovable.

She is lovingly remembered by her nieces, Elizabeth (Tripoli) Laughlin and Michele Koterbski; her sisters-in-law, Lynn Tripoli Young, Sharon Theriault, and Peg Theriault; her stepchildren, Renee (Theriault) Wagner and John Theriault; her cousin JoAnn Aniolowski; her two godsons Tom Aniolowski and Kurt Theriault, other family members and countless dear friends. She was also preceded in death by her stepson, Eddie Theriault and late ex-husband, Ed Theriault.

Throughout her decades-long journey with multiple sclerosis, Francine was blessed with extraordinary caregivers who became family. For more than 20 years, Maria Miklasiewicz cared for Francine with unwavering love, compassion, and friendship. Maria’s husband, Jozef, and their children, Peter (Piotr), Maggie (Magdalena), and Emily (Emilka), welcomed Francine into their family as one of their own. As of early 2024, Liudmila (Luda) Cherkasova continued that same devoted care and companionship. Francine’s family will forever be grateful for the kindness, dignity, and love that both Maria and Luda gave her throughout the years.

Though multiple sclerosis changed the course of her life, it never changed who she was. Francine will be remembered for her resilience, quick wit, generous heart, and the thoughtful way she made every birthday and special occasion feel important. She leaves behind countless memories and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Francine’s memory to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.