36° and Clear
Image
Lorraine S. “Lori” (DiVico) Handley, 70, of Franklin, died suddenly Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. She was the beloved wife of David J. Handley for 45 years.
Born in Boston on October 22, 1955, she was the daughter of the late Joseph H. and Marjorie L. (Munroe) DiVico.
Lori was a resident of Franklin for over 35+ years. She grew up in Framingham and graduated from Framingham North High School towards the end of Flower Power. Surely, she spent hours picturing herself in a boat on a river, with tangerine trees and marmalade skies.
Her life truly blossomed when her first of three children was born. She then began her career doing her true calling, raising her family. A daycare center soon opened in the backyard, with a combination of family, friends, and neighbors making ever lasting memories for all involved. She would pile her mini van full of kids and go to the beach, somehow never losing anyone. Every day was a new adventure and she was in her glory. Outdoors, sports, arts and crafts, and a lot of crazy extracurriculars she never knew about filled the years.
Once the kids got to school age, she transitioned to a long career in nursing doing what she loved best: helping other people. She worked various roles in labor and delivery and general practice bringing hard work, high energy, and positive vibes daily. Those key learnings would come in handy years later, when her kids would call in the middle of the night asking “Is this just a normal cough, or do we need to go to the emergency room right now?” “ I should probably call the doctor about this rash, right?”
She happily retired a handful of years back, starting her next and perhaps most proud chapter: helping raise her grandchildren. Lori, or Gram, was THE BEST grandmother. She would do anything for her grandkids. She loved them more than words could tell, and devoted as much time as humanely possible to be with them. Grammy’s warmth, patience, and light hearted spirit (and singing), radiated so brightly into her grandchildren. Even being so young, they all knew how deeply loved they were by her. She taught them so much and was able to give just the proper guidance from her bountiful experience, while letting her family learn on their own. Lori was an example to all of what it meant to be a loving and supportive mother and mother in law. She never looked at her “daughter in laws” as anything other than her daughters and friends. They truly won the lottery having her in their court. She was in her Nirvana any big Holiday or excuse to get all the kids under one roof.
What Lori will most be known for is her infectious spirit. She was an absolute ray of sunshine. Every day was a joy. She saw the good in any situation first. Always positive. Tough as nails. Never took a sick day. You could be having the worst day, and she would greet you with one of those Big Lori “Hi’s” and you would be instantly cured. I’m not sure how anyone could operate in that constant state, and from the outside maybe it looked like it couldn’t be real. But it was. Oh, it was. We lived it our whole lives.
She loved reading, traveling, walking the beach with one of her many four legged friends and husband, spending countless hours being a true best friend for her daughter, and just LIVING. She had endless hobbies and always found a way to keep herself busy. She had a deep network of close friends ranging from childhood all the way to the end. She would meet someone new anywhere she went. Probably come back with a phone number and their dog’s name. Oh yeah, she knew every dog in the neighborhood's name.
Lori will be greatly missed, but her spirit will live on. No one that met her will ever forget her. We guarantee you her grandchildren will never forget her. At one point of their life, we can also guarantee you they may be sick of hearing about her. We will think of her everyday for the rest of our lives, and that is a promise.
Lori went out on the top of her game, like a true legend. And we all know, legends never die. She will live amongst us in the stars forever like the eternal star she was, only a twinkle away.
Besides her husband and beloved dog Beau, she is survived by two sons Mike Handley and his wife Ariella of Franklin and their dog Winston, Matt Handley and his wife Terry of Abington, her daughter Jessie of Franklin, and her step-daughter Nicole Wolf and her husband Matt of Loveland, Colorado. She has seven incredible grandchildren Ellie, Banks, Wilder, Anna and Alex, and two step-grandchildren Madison and Michael.
She is also survived by five sisters Donna Allen of Shrewsbury, Margie Mineau of Woonsocket, Debbie Kay of Dennis, Elaine Orser of Wells, Maine, and Joanne Nevells of Franklin, and many nieces and nephews.
She was the sister of the late Carol Schmiz and Barbara Griffin.
Anyone connected to Lori will truly never get over the true shock of this. But, we will all get by and live our lives to the fullest and happiest as she would want us to. Everyday, when the wind blows just right and the birds chirp overhead we will be inspired by the powerful words of the late, great Robert Hunter so eloquently sung by the Grateful Dead:
If you hear that same sweet song again, will you know why?
Anyone who sings a tune so sweet is passing by
Laugh in the sunshine
Sing, cry in the dark
Fly through the night
Don’t cry now
Don’t you cry
Don’t you cry any more
La da da da da da
Sleep in the stars
Don’t you cry
Dry your eyes on the wind
La da da da da da
Relatives and friends are invited to attend calling hours on Monday, April 27 from 4 – 7 p.m. in the Ginley Funeral Home of Franklin, 131 Main Street in Franklin ginleyfuneralhomes.com . Burial will take place privately at St. Tarcisius Cemetery in Framingham.
In lieu of flowers, donations can may be made in Lori’s memory to the Friends of the Franklin Library, P.O. Box 147, Franklin, MA 02038 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 https://www.stjude.org/
