Frances Louise Bresenhan

Mrs. Frances Louise Bresenhan, nee Chewning, 85, of Charleston, South Carolina, passed away on Monday, August 19, 2024.

Born in 1938, in Junior, West Virginia, she was the daughter of (the late) Forest and Helen Wood Chewning.  As a young girl, her family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where she graduated from Northern High School.  Here she met the love of her life, Robert Bresenhan, whom she married in 1956. After residing in Maryland for the first ten years of their marriage, Frances and Robert, with three young children in tow, moved to Cranford, New Jersey, where they had their fourth child and raised their family.  A part-time resident of Charleston, South Carolina for several years, Frances permanently moved to the area in 2019. 

Frances, “Francie Lou,” was a loving and devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She dedicated her life to her family, serving as a Girl Scout leader and class mom for her kids.  She was an active member of her community, hosting fundraisers for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and serving as a Union County Poll Worker for several years. Frances enjoyed traveling the world with her husband and loved cooking, flower gardening, and music.

In addition to her parents, Frances is preceded in death by her devoted husband of 62 years, Robert, and her beloved daughter, Renee Carroll Bresenhan.

Frances is survived by her three loving children: son, Robert Bresenhan, Jr. (Roland Ceniza) of Rahway, New Jersey, daughters, Rebecca Scotti (Michael) of Cranford, New Jersey, Robin Hargett (Andrew) of Charleston, South Carolina, and 5 adoring grandchildren, Brianna, Brooke and Michael Scotti, and Griffin and Kelsey Hargett.

The family will host a Celebration of Life in Cranford, New Jersey at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Breast Cancer Foundation nationalbreastcancer.org or St. Jude’s Hospital stjude.org.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com/.

Final arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral and Cremation, James Island, 347 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412, (843) 614-8494.