Frances Spain

A humorist and motivational speaker, Frances "Fran" Spain died Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008, at the age of 94. She was a resident of Baton Rouge and a native of Yazoo City, Miss. Visitation will be held at Broadmoor Baptist Church on Monday, Sept. 29, from noon until service at 2 p.m. Burial service will be in Yazoo City on Tuesday, Sept. 30. Fran entertained thousands with her humor and storytelling and was in great demand as a public speaker not only in Baton Rouge, but throughout the country. Named as one of America's funniest ladies, she traveled throughout the United States conducting motivational seminars and serving as the keynote speaker for conferences and conventions for listeners of all ages and all walks of life. She could make any audience laugh and fall in love with her at the first punch line. She described herself saying, "I am a funny old lady. I'm not your typical after-dinner anything." Fran is remembered for her infectious joy of life, constantly positive attitude and her unlimited faith in Christ - each of which she exhibited in her speeches around the country. She would often say of her career, "I go around getting paid to talk "¦ . Child, ain't that good?" Fran never took her talents for granted and considered her sense of humor and outgoing personality a gift. When asked about this she would say, "I think (Jesus) puts us here for something, and maybe He put me here to make people happy. And if I make people happy, then I'm doing what He put me here to do." At the age of 84, she was quoted as saying, "I'm just really the luckiest, luckiest woman in the world. I had a good marriage. I have good children. I'm still living what I hope is a useful life. How can you beat that?" Fran also authored a bestselling cookbook titled "Fifteen Minutes Or Forget It," which she said was a project she started so she "could stay out of the kitchen and not have to do dishes." One of her most famous speeches included potatoes dressed in character using hats and food-colored mouths and eyes as props as she talked about the types of people that often work in an organization (such as "Dic-tater," Spec-tater," "Hesi-tater" and "Agi-tater"). Fran believed a good sense of humor could heal all things: "Laughter is a wonderful gift. It's healing. It is uniting. You can go to a bunch of strangers and if you can laugh at yourself and each other, then you're not strangers anymore." Fran was a graduate of Blue Mountain College and taught in all levels of education. She later served as director of public relations for the Louisiana Department of Education, director of publications for the Louisiana Secretary of State and the executive director of the Institute for Burn Medicine&Rehabilitation. Fran was honored by her peers, the citizens of Baton Rouge, and the state of Louisiana for her tireless volunteer activities and served on numerous boards and committees in church, civic and charitable organizations. She was named Volunteer Activist and Woman of Achievement. Fran is survived by her children and their spouses, Sandie and Al Spain, of New Roads, Sally and Skip Blechle, from Santa Fe, N.M., and Linda and John Spain, of New Roads; four grandchildren, Al Spain II, of Dallas, Kourtney Blechle, of Houston, and John Spain and Amanda Spain Wells, of Baton Rouge; a great-grandchild, Alfred Spain III, of Dallas; and a sister, Marcie Brigham, of Yazoo City. Preceded in death by her husband of 44 years, Alfred O. Spain. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Fran's memory to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation (www.braf.org" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.braf.org">www.braf.org), 402 N. Fourth St., Baton Rouge, LA 70802.