Funeral services set for woman killed in Monroe County crash

Funeral services were held for Kathleen M. “Kathy” Francescon, a Waterloo area woman who died last week in a head-on crash that occurred when a man tried to pass another vehicle.

Francescon, 61, was driving south on Bluff Road near Columbia on Oct. 22 when she collided head-on with a northbound SUV whose driver had tried to pass another northbound vehicle, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department. Francescon was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other driver, a 21-year-old Millstadt man, was treated and released from a hospital. No charges had been filed as of the Belleville News-Democrat print deadline Tuesday afternoon.

Francescon was described as a “loving mother, a devoted wife and an incredible friend to so many,” according to her obituary.

“She dedicated her life to the ones she loved, making it her mission to improve the lives of those around her,” her obituary states. “She had a rare skill of making people feel welcome; she could make any house feel like a home. Kathy was passionate about living life to the fullest.”

Francescon, who was the chief financial officer at Friendship Village Senior Living Center in St. Louis County, loved to travel with her family to places such as the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the Spanish Steps in Rome.

A visitation was held Monday at Quernheim Funeral Home at 800 S. Market St. in Waterloo. Francescon was buried at Ss. Peter & Paul Cemetery in Waterloo.

This story was originally published October 25, 2025 at 11:44 AM.