Frances "Fran" Watts
Private Family Services for Frances "Fran" Watts, 86, formally of
Eldon, Hannibal and Perry, will be held Thursday, July 2, 2020 at
Bienhoff Funeral Home in Perry. Burial will be in Lick Creek Cemetery.
Ms. Watts passed away at 12:20 a.m. June 29, 2020 at Tri-County
Care Center in Vandalia.
She was born in rural Ralls County in the St. Paul-Pleasant Grove
community on July 18, 1933, the daughter of James Fay and Mae Emma Gregg
Gay.
Survivors include: one brother, Jimmie (Jeanie) Gay of Perry; one
sister, Kay (Cletus) Sparks of New Hartford; two brothers-in-law, Bob
Willis of Cartersville and Matt Lane of Sedalia; and fifteen nieces and
nephews; Leisa (Dalton) Reynolds, Rusty (Glenda) Willis, Tracy (Lane)
Weiser, Terry (Lane) Brown, Debbie (Mike) Davis, Donna (Adam) Hudson,
Pam Smith, Jim Sparks, John Sparks, Jeff Gay, Robyn Lovelace, Kristen
Greenplate, Brent Gay, Tammy Pringle, Amy Macintosh.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Emma Faye
Lane and Rose Lucille (Rosie) Willis; and one brother, J.D. Gay.
Ms. Watts was primarily a lifetime area resident, member of the
Eldon First Christian Church and 1951 graduate of Perry High School.
She worked for Stehle switchboard in Perry and the Perry State Bank.
She moved to Hannibal in 1955 and worked as an operator for Southwestern
Bell and trained the first male operator. She moved to Eldon where she
continued to work for Southwestern Bell until her retirement in 1987
after 32 years of service. Ms. Watts was active in church and civic
organizations. She was a volunteer for Eldon Community Food Pantry, Lee
House, the local school and Relay For Life. Her participation in
Telephone Pioneers kept her busy sewing Hug A Bears for children and
pillows for nursing home residents. She won several honors in bowling
and golf. She enjoyed working with people, dancing, crafts and
flowers. She was a very creative person.
Pallbearers will be family members.
Memorial contributions may be made to Lick Creek Cemetery, Ralls
County Cancer Society or Eldon First Christian Church.
Please support The Monroe County Appeal & Ralls County Herald-Enterprise by subscribing today!