Frances Onstott

Frances Onstott passed away peacefully at her home on April 12 at 106 years of age. She was born in Somerton, Arizona on October 4, 1918, and was the fifth of six children born to Romulo and Dolores Fernandez. Her family moved to Brawley, California when she was five years old. She attended school there through high school. In the summer of 1937 Frances met the love of her life, Frank Onstott. After a short romance they were married on September 14, 1938.

Their marriage resulted in five sons: Frank Marion Jr., Gerald Louis, John Henry, Charles Robert, and Michael James. Their sons produced fifteen grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, and even a few great-great grandchildren, all of whom affectionately referred to the family matriarch as “Nana”. She loved to spoil them all and always had lots of cookies and homemade tortillas on hand for her visiting family. Her husband and sons each had a different favorite pie, and she would bake their favorite on a rotating basis. The family was often treated to a feast of homemade tamales, enchiladas, refried beans, tortillas, and of course, dessert!

Frances and her husband built a home in Oceanside in 1949. In 1958 they moved to San Luis Rey, where they bought an orange grove farm they named Rancho De Los Siete O's. They had a small roadside stand where they sold their oranges with a large sign, Onstott & Sons, which became somewhat of an area landmark. All the boys worked there and were introduced to the multitude of chores that living on a farm entails: a cow, chickens, horses, peacocks, and of course all those oranges.

However, in 1971 they returned to Oceanside. As her husband was an avid golfer, together they joined El Camino Country Club in Oceanside as charter members. She made the effort to take up the game and soon joined a ladies golfing group called “The Ninettes”. In the earlier days of the San Diego Open she was a volunteer at the tournament and of course her very favorite golfer was Tiger Woods. Another sports passion was rooting for the San Diego Padres, starting when they were a minor league team in the Pacific Coast League. Watching a ball game in San Diego and dining in Old Town for a Mexican dinner was a family treat. Finally, raising five boys meant her husband introduced them all to fishing. The entire family became avid fishermen and even Frances learned to love to fish. Their favorite spot was a fishing camp in Arizona where they would catch lots of trout.

Frances is predeceased by her husband and two of their sons, Gerald and John.

There will be a memorial mass at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Catholic Church on Friday, May 16th, at 10:00 am, followed by a short graveside service at Eternal Hills Cemetery. Friends and relatives are invited to attend a reception after the graveside service.