Frances Louise (Gurney) Forister of San Antonio, Texas, was welcomed home by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 23, 2025. Fran’s story began 83 years ago in Torrington, Wyoming, on October 15, 1941, when she was born to Lura Marie and Earl Van Reyper Gurney. She and her twin brother, Frank, were the second and third children of Marie and Earl’s six kids.
Fran grew up on the family farm in Yoder, Wyoming, where she graduated as her classes’ Valedictorian in 1959. Fran then continued her education at the University of Wyoming, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education in 1964. The university is where Fran met and married her husband Thomas C. Forister. For the next 20 plus years, Fran and Tom lived in numerous locations throughout the Washington DC area and Texas as Tom served in the United States Air Force. During this time, their family of two grew into a family of five with the birth of their children Patrick, Phillip and Elizabeth.
In 1986, Fran accepted the most challenging role in her life, becoming a single mother after her and Tom ended their marriage. Fran quickly embraced her new role and secured a civil service job working at the esteemed Defense Language Institute English Learning Center at Lackland AFB. A few years later Fran moved into patient healthcare working as quality assurance administrator at the nation’s second largest military hospital, Wilford Hall Medical Center. Fran closed out a very successful 28-year civil service career when she retired in 2014.
In retirement, Fran found more time for the things she loved. She attended local football games to watch her grandsons Justin and Joshua play in their high school bands. She loved to attend weekly senior meals at Oxford United Methodist Church, playing Bridge or Penuckle with friends and singing in the church choir. She enjoyed working outdoors in her yard where she could watch the hummingbirds dance around their feeders. Fran was also a companionate humanitarian who fed and cared for numerous neighborhood cats.
Some of our most cherished memories of Fran are her turning any family get together or family dinner into a large-scale production because she loved entertaining. She loved finding new recipes to try out and then added them to her collection of cookbooks for future use. She treasured decorating her house during the holiday season with her many prized Christmas trinkets. She enjoyed family game nights, playing the newest board games, playing “Chickenfoot” dominoes or spoons, surrounded by her loved ones. No matter the activity, Fran always filled the room with her loving personality, spirited laughter, and big ole smile.
Fran is survived by her brothers, Frank Gurney and his wife Hesta of Hartselle, Alabama, John Gurney and his wife Laurie of Gering, Nebraska, sister Chief Master Sergeant retired Beverely White of Cheyenne, Wyoming and sister in-law Martha Gurney of Torrington, Wyoming. Her twin sons, Patrick Forister, Phillip Forister and his wife Kristi all of San Antonio, Texas. Her daughter, Elizabeth Renfroe and her husband Ron of Wichita Falls Texas. Her grandchildren, Joseph Ramirez and his wife Christian of Houston Texas, Justin and Joshua Forister, both of San Antonio, Texas, step-grandchildren, Elizabeth Bachman of Tonganoxie, Kansas, Bryson Renfroe of Wichita Falls, Texas and Fran’s one and only great-grandchild, Joseph Thomas (JT) Ramirez of Houston Texas. Fran was preceded in death by her mother Marie, father Earl, brother Robert Gurney, sister Claudia Waldock, and brother in-law Master Sergeant retired Robert White. Fran also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews whom she loved and adored.
The family would like to give heartfelt thanks to the staff of both Landon Ridge Memory Care Unit and Bristol Hospice who lovingly cared for Fran.
Visitation and Service will be held on August 30, 2025, at Oxford United Methodist Church at 9739 Huebner Road in San Antonio Texas. Visitation will begin at 1 pm with the Service beginning at 2 pm.
