After struggling for several years with serious health problems, Frances passed away peacefully at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria on Sunday, October 21, at the age of 84, due to complications related to MDS.
Frances was dearly loved by her husband Don in their marriage of 60 years, and by their children, Ian, Fiona (Steve), and Alistair (Sheila), and by granddaughter Tessa.
Frances was born into an Irish family in Leeds, England in 1934. As a child she was evacuated to the countryside during WW2. After she married, she lived with her family in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Switzerland before moving to Calgary in 1969. She worked there in the early days of ESL, coordinating and teaching in a program for refugees and immigrants. A lifelong Catholic, she was deeply spiritual and had passionate commitments to peace, social justice, animal welfare, and the environment, and was a volunteer for the Canadian Cancer Society.
After coming to Victoria in 1990, Frances pursued her interests in literacy and literature. She graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Certificate in Literacy Instruction and, continuing her studies, had nearly completed her degree in English when the deterioration in her health made conclusion of her final course impossible.
Strongly dedicated to her family, Frances provided a loving and supportive home environment which included many exceptional meals drawing on her creative gourmet cooking skills. She brightened any gathering with her warm, outgoing personality, cheerful humour, and ready laughter. Never allowing her health challenges to define her life, she always maintained a positive outlook and the determination to be active and engaged. Frances appreciated music immensely, and especially enjoyed many concerts of two local choirs, Soundings and The Gettin’ Higher Choir.
Her family would like to thank the doctors who cared for Frances in recent years: Dr James Cox, Dr Richard Mildenberger, Dr Aaron Young, and Dr Adrian Yee. Special thanks are due to the nurses in medical day care for their positive support over the last two years, and to Dr David Glen and the nurses in the RJH Patient Care Centre 4th Floor North, for their support for Frances in the last two weeks of her life. We have been greatly blessed by such dedication.
Frances was predeceased by her parents, Theresa and John Moran, her sister Joy, and her brothers Jackie and Kevin.
A private funeral service will be held for the family. A Celebration of Life (or “party”, as Frances wanted it to be) will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to consider making a donation to the BC Cancer Foundation.
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