Arlene Franco, RN, CCRN, 83, passed away on Thursday, December 11, 2014 at her home in Fort Washington, PA. She was born on August 3, 1931 in Ashland, PA to Leo and Eva Banning. Arlene grew up in Girardville, PA graduating from Girardville High School in 1949. She then graduated from Pottsville Hospital School of Nursing in 1952 with her RN certificate. She began working in Philadelphia, where soon after she met her husband Mike. They married in 1956 and had 5 children. They were happily married for 58 years. Arlene became very active in critical care nursing education on the local, national and international levels. She was proud of earning her CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse) and served as a board member for many years. Retiring from fulltime nursing in 1993, volunteerism remained a very large part of her life. She was an active volunteer with ElderHelp and ElderMed at Abington Memorial Hospital and with the Adult Literacy Program at Abington Public Library. Organized and energetic, she was the secretary for the "55 and Older Club" at her church and offered her time and talents to many other programs there. Arlene loved traveling, going to the theater and most of all spending time with her family. She was preceded in death by her parents, Leo and Eva Banning and by her daughter, Jill Skethway (Scott). Arlene is survived by her husband Paul (Mike) of Fort Washington, PA; her sons; Michael Franco of Abington, PA, Stephen Franco (Madeline) of North Wales, PA, Eric Franco (Jeanne) of Willow Grove, PA and her daughter, Karen Rose (Bill) of Hollywood, MD; Her sisters; Betty Cress (Joe) of Girardville, PA, Eva McHale (Pat) of Ashland, PA and Gale Waite of Delta, CO and her brother Leo Banning (Trudy) of Ashland, PA ; Her grandchildren; Matthew Staniszewski (Shannon), Jesse Franco, Caitlin McKelvey (Joshua), Claudia Rose, David Franco, Matthew Franco, Janna Franco and Nicole Franco; and her great-grandchildren; Jacob, Samantha and Maizie; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives. Viewing will be held at Angelone Funeral Home, Inc. 501 Easton Road, (Willow Grove, 215-659-0202) on Wednesday, December 17th from 7pm to 9pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady Help of Christians Church, 1500 Marian Road, Abington, PA 19001 on Thursday, December 18th at 10am, with visitation from 9am to 10am. Entombment will follow at Whitemarsh Memorial Park, 1169 Limekiln Pike in Ambler. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the American Lung Association http://www.lung.org/associations/charters/mid-atlantic/donate.html or Our Lady Help of Christians Church.