Owner and Founder of Mountain View's Francesca's Sports Bar Has Died

The vivacious, gregarious and kind-hearted founder of Francesca's Sports, Frances Marie Iten, died on Thursday, March 28. She was 76.

Iten's daughter Samantha found her mother's lifeless body in the Mountain View home they shared, according to son-in-law Mike Baker. Her death was unexpected.

"On Friday, everyone came to the bar and was hugging one another," he said. Baker manages Francesca's, which now has become a repository of flower bouquets from friends and bar patrons.

One of the cards read, "words seem inadequate to express the sadness we feel." Another read, "I'm really sorry for your loss. I really enjoyed my conversations with your mom. She had so much spirit."

For Baker the shock and grief made it so that he "couldn't do anything for almost 48 hours." His wife Samantha is doing better, he added.

Born on May 7, 1936 in Trinidad, CO, Iten eventually moved to Fresno and graduated from Fresno State. There she met her husband and together they moved to Mountain View. They purchased a bar at 2135 Old Middlefield Way in 1961, when it was still known as "The Dublin." There she worked as the cook and he was the bartender. For at least two decades it's been known as "Francesca's."

At Francesca's, Iten befriended many people, including regular patron Michelle Salgado who described her as "direct, giving, generous and motivating."

"'Mom' brought out the best in me," Salgado said, using the affectionate nickname she had for Iten. Salgado recalled how Iten was always so thoughtful with her staff and gave them meaningful and individualized Christmas gifts.

Iten would also be remembered for her fashion sense, Salgado added.

"She never missed a detail," Salgado said, sharing how Iten once looked like Jacqueline Onassis in a sharp cream-colored suit with a navy colored border. "Her signature was her individuality."

Outside of Francesca's, Iten was a devout Catholic and maintained her Sicilian traditions. According to Salgado, Iten "was very subtle with her humanitarian work," and "never wanted accolades."

A funeral service will be held for Iten on Friday, April 5 at St. Simon Catholic Parish at 1860 Grant Rd. in Los Altos.

Son-in-law Baker told Patch that after the funeral there would be a party in her honor at Francesca's, because that's "what she would have wanted."

"She definitely wasn't the type who would sit around feeling sorry for herself," he said.

More on Mountain View Patch:

• Obituary: Eileen Mahoney Turner (1942-2013)
• Obituary: Tyler Paul Collins (1993-2013)
• Obituary: Benjamin Xavier Ventresca (1921-2013)

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