Frances Anne Jones

Frances Anne (Johnston) Jones, formerly Frances Seward, died peacefully in her sleep on November 3, 2020 after a 4-year battle with Alzheimer’s. She and her husband Boyce lived in assisted living in Northern Colorado for this final chapter of Frances’ life, but Frances moved home with her daughter Elisabeth for her final weeks, where she could receive care and family visitors without the restrictions facilities have in place due to Covid.

Frances was born in St. Louis, Missouri on April 11, 1930 to Ella Mae and Ralph Johnston and had two brothers, Ralph (“Johnny”) and Dan Johnston. She attended Mary Institute in St. Louis before studying psychology at Vanderbilt University. She was a member of Pi Phi Sorority. Following her marriage to Douglas C. Seward, Jr., Frances, Doug, and their first three children moved to Houston. She raised six children in Houston and lived there until 2017. Following her divorce from Mr. Seward in 1970, Frances entered the workforce for the first time, starting as a clerk, then a typist, then a secretary, then an executive secretary for Michigan Wisconsin Pipeline. After thirteen years as a single parent, she met and married the love of her life, Boyce “BJ” Jones, in 1982. She and Boyce traveled and ventured courageously, whether that meant rafting down the Snake River in Idaho, birdwatching in Costa Rica, touring the French countryside, visiting family in the Philippines, or just putting a worm on a hook on Toledo Bend Reservoir.

Frances was a faithful member of Bethel Independent Presbyterian Church. She was also very active in the community, volunteering as a puppeteer for badly burned children through the Assistance League, serving as an officer in the Houston Yacht Club Ladies Association, and participating in the Brown Reading Club. She was well-known for her quick wit and infectious laughter and was a fierce bridge player.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Ella Mae Johnston and son, Douglas C Seward III. She is survived by her loving husband, Boyce Jones, two sons, Ralph Seward of Moundsville, WV, and Robert Seward of Ft. Collins, CO, three daughters, Sarah Higgins of Nye, MT, Elisabeth Olson of Loveland, CO, Catherine Reed of Aurora, CO, step-son, Randy Jones of Houston, TX, 20 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home in Houston on Saturday, December 12 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bethel Independent Presbyterian Church, Dementia Together, the Alzheimer’s Association, Meals on Wheels, or the charity of your choice. Memories and condolences may be made at www.forestparkwestheimer.com