Frances Elizabeth Avis

She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Hattie Nolan and all their siblings; all her siblings, beloved sister Catherine Shaw, and brothers Walter, Willis and Jack Nolan; Robert Francis Avis, husband of 38 years; son Robert Keith Riley; and granddaughter Emily Frances Olds. She is survived by daughters, Linda Riley Olds (Richard) of St. Charles, MO, and Kathleen Riley Brown (Jim) of Clovis, CA; granddaughter Jessica Marie Huddleston (Sammy) of Wentzville, MO, and their children Chase, Christian, and Cameron (stepson); granddaughters Sara Catherine Brown of Lakewood, CA, and Erin Elizabeth Brown of Clovis, CA; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Frances was the 2nd daughter and 4th of five children, and not yet 5 years old when her mother suddenly passed away. By the age of 12, she also lost her father and was taken in by his sister, Annie C. Scott, and her husband Bruce, to live in their home in West Texas. From that day on they were known as Mama Ladye and Daddy Bruce. A year later, Annie and Bruce welcomed their son and her cousin, Robert “Bobby” Scott.

After graduating high school at the age of 16, Frances attended Texas State College for Women in Denton studying home economics to become a dietician. In December 1943 during her sophomore year of college, she met and married a WWII B17 bomber pilot, Howard Klee Riley, from Bellaire, Ohio. By the end of 1944 they welcomed their first daughter, Linda, a second daughter, Kathleen, in 1949 and finally a son, Robert, in 1952. Frances and Howard were married until 1965.

In August 1966, at the Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska, Frances married Robert (“Bob”) Avis, a Lt. Colonel in the United States Air Force. In 1967, Bob was transferred to NATO in Naples, Italy, which kicked off their memorable tour of Europe. They resided in Naples, Italy, for three years, and then two years in Stuttgart, Germany. Frances was inquisitive and always eager to explore other cultures and gain a deeper understanding of them. She loved traveling the world, meeting new people, and gathering stories along the way of places she had been and people she had met.

Frances was a very social person and always an active participant in her community. She enjoyed being a member of and participating in the Air Force Officer’s Women’s Club, the Fresno Opera League, and Questors. She joined the San Joaquin Doll Club and found her talent as a doll-maker, handcrafting highly collectable dolls, beautifully painting their faces, and tailoring some of their outfits. She also proudly served as President of the Fig Garden Women’s Club in Fresno and volunteered at the Community Hospital for several years.

She was a wonderful homemaker, wife, mother, and granny. She was a gifted chef, interior designer, seamstress, and avid golfer. She loved getting dressed up in beautiful clothes and accessories, but her unforgettable personality was always at the forefront. She had a great sense of humor, loved telling jokes and considered herself a happy person. She had a talent for making a lovely home wherever she was in the world. With a love for reading, she was a deep thinker and lifelong learner. She was self-taught and highly motivated. With a life well lived, she was most proud of her family.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at 2:30 pm in the Chapel of St. James Episcopal Church in Fresno with Dean Samuel Colley-Toothaker officiating. Private burial will be at Belmont Memorial Park in the Garden Mausoleum. Arrangements are entrusted to Palm La Paz.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate a donation to the American Kidney Fund, Inc., or other charitable organization.