Colonie

Frances Speranza, who saw every day as an opportunity to help others, died Wednesday morning, about three weeks after she was struck by a car while crossing Wolf Road. She was 84.

Speranza, whom many knew as Frannie, lived a simple, spiritual and selfless life, family members said, offering to help get children off the school bus, walk her niece's dog or play with her great-nieces.

She never forgot the birthday of a family member and greatly cherished calling them — birthday or not — just to chat.

"This is a big loss, not just for my family, but for the community," said Speranza's niece, Renee Beaulieu. "She was a spirited, spritely soul; youthful in everything she did; a pitbull for her family; and a very unique soul."

The simple things made Speranza happy: a visitor to her house, a letter in the mail, a walk around town.

One of eight siblings, Speranza always put others' needs before her own, often the first to visit family members in a new home or to arrive at a family gathering.

At 16, Speranza got her first job as an editorial assistant in the Times Union newsroom library, later working in the advertising department. She worked for the Times Union for more than 40 years.

Beaulieu said that when her 11-year-old son heard stories about his great-aunt's selflessness, he was in awe of her courage and integrity.

"She's a true superhero, because people don't do that stuff, mom," he told Beaulieu one day.

Speranza visited family members who work at the Denny's at 114 Wolf Road three or four times a week, a manager at the restaurant said.

Speranza was hit by a silver Honda SUV as she was crossing Wolf Road toward Denny's on July 14.

Colonie police Sgt. John O'Donnell said no criminal charges would be filed against the driver of the vehicle, Nicole Crane.

Crane was turning left under a green light and would be legally required to yield to a pedestrian, but after reviewing video evidence, O'Donnell said, investigators determined that the collision was an accident.

"Our investigation has determined that the pedestrian was in the crosswalk legally," O'Donnell said. Crane "didn't see her," he added.

Crane cooperated fully with police, O'Donnell said, and was not distracted and had not been using drugs or alcohol. He said Speranza was hit at approximately 15 mph.

Speranza suffered multiple broken bones and a brain injury, according to family members.

At one point in the hospital, Speranza was up, walking around, eating and talking to family. But soon after, she got an infection and died shortly thereafter.

"I do know that she is with her sister, brothers and parents and she loved them and missed them, too," Beaulieu said. "She is at peace, and I think she hung on to help us deal with her passing."

nburroughs@timesunion.com • 518-454-5012 • @Nickatnews