Iris J. (Francario) Perry, age 96, of Portsmouth, N.H., formerly of Mashpee and Weymouth, died peacefully, Sunday, March 3, 2024 at Wentworth Senior Living in Portsmouth, N.H., in the comfort of her loving family.

Iris was born in Braintree, to the late Nunzio and Alice J. (Tesolini) Francario. She was raised and educated in Quincy and attended Quincy High School.

She lived in New Hampshire for the past eight years, previously in Mashpee for twenty-four years, and earlier in Weymouth for many years.

Iris worked for the former New England Telephone and Telegraph Company, later Verizon, for over twenty-five years. She began her career as an accounting clerk on Upland Road in Quincy before rising to Supervisor and finally, Accounting Manager in Boston.

In her retirement, Iris discovered her green thumb working in the greenhouses at Burr Farm in Brookfield, Conn., Attaquin Acres in Mashpee, and Cape Cod Wholesale Nursery in Waquoit. She applied the same standard of cleanliness and care to the greenhouses and flowers she tended – especially the geraniums – as she “famously” applied to her meticulously clean and organized home.

Iris was dedicated to her family. She was especially proud of her grandchildren and great grandchildren, actively supporting their activities and accomplishments.

Beloved wife of the late John R. Perry, a good and kind man, who served honorably in the U.S. Navy during World War II in defense of American values and whose service-connected death limited their lives together to a mere seventeen years.

Devoted mother of Robert J. Perry and his wife Carol (Cusick) of Strafford, N.H., Leslie Perry Blank and her husband Robert of Norwalk, Conn.

Loving grandmother of John R. Perry and his wife Wendy (Cote) of Strafford, N.H., Stacy Ann Maguire and her husband Michael of Kissimmee, Fla., Christopher R. Blank of Billerica, and Nicholas P. Blank and his wife Jessica (Colangelo) of North Grafton.

Cherished great grandmother of Mackenzie Hurst and her husband Mark, Casey Maguire and his wife RyAnne, Ryan Perry, and Lily Marie Blank.

The last of three siblings, she was predeceased by her brothers, Tullio Francario and Aldo Francario.

Funeral Services will be conducted at the Sweeney Brothers Home for Funerals, 1 Independence Avenue, Quincy, on Friday, March 8, at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visitation prior to the service from 10 – 11 a.m. Interment Mount Wollaston Cemetery, Quincy.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Iris’ memory may be made to New Hampshire Public Radio, P.O. Box 9645, Manchester, NH 03108-9645 or the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, 539 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02116.