Francine Appel Wolff

“The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.” Isak Dinesen

Francine Appel Wolff passed away March 25, 2025, at the age of 98. She was a native of New York City and resident of Ocala, Florida. Francine was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was generous with her time and ready to help those in need. She enjoyed going to the beach, dancing, gardening, reading, crossword puzzles, board and card games, social gatherings, hosting, baking, cooking, knitting, sewing and all sorts of craftwork. She was accomplished in everything she endeavored and lived a long full life which she shared with her family, friends, and her cat, Lana.

When Francine was a little girl, a little boy moved into the house that backed up to the apartment building her family lived in. Outside her bedroom window was a fire escape, which overlooked his backyard and in the hot summer days when she played on the fire escape, Charley could look over and see her. They quickly became great friends. 

As teenagers, Francine and Charley would walk miles to Orchard Beach instead of taking the bus, saving the 25 cents bus fare for buying lunch allowing them to get a hot dog or a slice of pizza for a nickel, which came with a free root beer. If they collected 3 milk bottles (for the 3 cents deposit) to get 9 cents from the grocery store, adding a penny would make the 10 cent admission for the city pool or a movie matinee. 

Charley enlisted in the US Army Air Forces on his 18th birthday to serve during World War II when Francine was 16 years old, they were pretty much an item by that time. While overseas, Charley would send money home to his father to save for an engagement ring. When enough had accumulated, Charley’s dad took Francine to pick out a ring and the engagement became formal. In 1946, a year after Charley was discharged, they got married. Francine and Charley went on to have four children, celebrating 65 years of marriage.

After moving to Ocala in 1981, Francine worked for the CPA firm Crippen & Crippen. Her career path changed when she took a job with the City of Ocala Police Department. Francine then started working for the Marion County Sheriff's Office in 1984 as an Intelligence Secretary for the Criminal Investigations Division, until retiring in 1997. 

Francine volunteered as Coordinator for the annual Health Fair in the Oak Run Community (where she lived) from 1995 until 2023, which would involve about 50 different health care organizations and hundreds of attendees. 

Francine also volunteered for the Marion County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit as secretary from its inception in 2005 until 2024, still taking shorthand for meeting minutes and distributing emails at 97 years old. 

Francine was predeceased by her parents, William and Clara Appel; sister, Estelle Bercaw; husband, Charles “Charley” Wolff and daughter, Barbara Torres. 

She is survived by her sons Richard (Paula) Wolff, Seattle, WA; Charles (Diane) Wolff, Canton, MA; and Christopher Wolff, Ocala, FL; as well as her grandchildren Michael (Kim) Torres, Adam Torres, Rebecca (Diane) Barry-Wolff, Rachael Wolff and Katherine Wolff.

A Memorial Service will be held at Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services TimberRidge, 9695 SW 110th Street, Ocala, FL on April 14, 2025 at 11:00 am. The family will privately spread Francine’s ashes at a later date. NO FLOWERS, PLEASE.