Obituary of Tina Marie DiFranco-Alexander

BEECH ISLAND – Mrs. Tina Marie DiFranco-Alexander, 57, wife of Mr. William “Bill” Paul Alexander, passed away May 1, 2020.

Born October 17, 1962 in Cleveland, Oh, she was the daughter of Wilda Ann Eckler Nowocin and the late Gerald DiFranco.

Tina made her home in Aiken after moving from Alabama.  She met and married her husband and they have celebrated 27 wonderful years together.  Tina was employed at SRS, where she retired after 30 years with the Dept of Energy.  She was known to be a diehard Alabama fan, always wearing her team shirts and using her favorite Alabama cup.  After her retirement, she loved just being able to do nothing.  She spent her days napping with her fur kids, Guppy and Ollie and watching her tv shows.  It was a good thing she didn’t have to prepare anymore documents or emails as she was known as a terriable speller.  She loved the beach and the lake and would make yearly trips with her family to both.  She was also known for her love of her dogs.  When asked to choose between her husband or the dog, she always chose the dog!  She was described as the glue that kept her family together.  She was a loving wife, mother, daughter, aunt, and sister.   

Tina was preceded in death by her father, her grandmother, Vera Johnson; her brother, Eddie DiFranco; her son, Chaz Anderson, and her dogs, Classy and Tapoo.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband; her mother; her daughters, Samantha Leonard (Joshua) of Aiken and Lea Marie DiFranco of Augusta, GA; her siblings, Tony DiFranco of Greenville, Pete Nowocin of Jackson and Christine “Chrissy” Nowocin of Aiken; her grandchildren, Jaxson Leonard; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Faye Drawdy(Hank) of Aiken and Lynn Alexander of Aiken; her nieces and nephews, Erika Ramsey (Phillip), Marissa, Kiersten and Camron Nowocin, all of Aiken. 

The family will receive friends for a Celebration of Life Monday, May 4, 2020 from 5-7PM at George Funeral Home, 211 Park Ave, SW, Aiken, SC 29801.

Memorial contributions may be made in Tina’s memory to the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare or to The Volunteer Board, c/o The Cardiac Volunteer Program at University Hospital.

The Historic George Funeral Home, 211 Park Ave., SW, Aiken, SC 29801 (803.649.6234), has charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy for the family may be left by visiting www.georgefuneralhomes.com.