Frances Harris was born June 30, 1935, in Pleasant View, Utah to Elmer and Lettie Elizabeth Buckley (Libbie) Harris. She was the third of six children, Verl, JoAn, (Frances), Linda, Clair, and Jim. Her great grandparents were pioneers who trekked west to the Great Salt Lake Valley in the mid-19th century before the railroad arrived. Frances’ earliest memories include mornings sitting by the kitchen stove to get warm, her fun and clever mother Libbie, siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends, a dog Smokey, a cow, horses, sheep, pigs, and chickens, as well as retrieving dishes that her toddler sister Linda had dropped into the outdoor privy. Frances did this because she fit through the hole and was willing.

Frances grew up during the Great Depression. The small community of Pleasant View subsisted mainly by farming. Elmer fixed cars and farm machinery. Libbie raised raspberries. In the summertime Frances and her siblings worked in the fields and orchards to earn money for their school clothes.

Frances’ family participated actively in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. At the age of 8 she was baptized in a concrete outdoor font that also served as a swimming pool for kids in the neighborhood. Frances developed faith in a God who knew who she was and would hear and answer her prayers. She hoped to someday become a wife and mother.

Frances did well in school. She enjoyed wonderful friends. She developed beautiful handwriting and learned to type and take shorthand notes. Though her family was poor, she appreciated having a warm home and admired less-fortunate friends who lived in tents and still showed up at school wearing clean clothes, ready to learn. She learned to drive the Model-T Ford, kill, pluck, dress, and cook a chicken. She mixed with all kinds of personalities and learned to stick up for herself. She didn’t follow the crowd when she thought they were going the wrong way.

Frances and Gene were married April 11, 1966. For their honeymoon they visited The Grand Canyon by air with Gene as pilot. They lived and raised their son Monte in Davis County, Utah until moving to Meridian, Idaho in 2008 after retirement. Together they enjoyed cooking, home canning, camping, traveling, in their motor home, improving their property in Cascade, and watching British comedies such as The Last of the Summer wine and As Time Goes By.

Frances worked at Hill Air Force Base for four decades, beginning as secretary but was soon promoted beyond her formal education; she managed the daily Base Aircraft Maintenance Crews daily task list program. Later, she administered the computer systems at Dugway Proving Grounds and Utah Test and Training Range. She was a beloved supervisor who counseled many a coworker struggling through life’s challenges. She retired from the DOD in 1992.

She was compassionate service leader in her ward Relief Society for many years. For five years she spent most Saturdays cooking and cleaning for her widowed father Elmer so that he could live in his own home until his death in 1993. She indexed thousands of names for Family Search and spent her final decade making countless quilts for The Women’s & Children’s Shelter, friends, and family members. Frances developed a love of crocheting from her mother. She crocheted many things, including Afghan blankets and intricate lace altar covers for the open house and dedication of the Meridian Idaho Temple.

Like her mother, Frances belonged to International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP) and served as President’s Corresponding Secretary from 2001 to 2008. In this capacity she travelled all over the Western US attending and speaking at annual DUP Conventions. After moving to Idaho she became Central Idaho Representative.

Frances was proud of her family. Her only child Monte and wife Jeri value her wonderful advice and the things she did for them. The grandchildren remember her loving hugs, wisdom, listening skills, productive strawberry garden, & awesome farmer’s casseroles.

Frances is survived by her husband Gene, son Monte (Jeri) and six grandchildren: Elizabeth (Matt), (Patrick, Sam, Thomas & Rosie); Paul (Heather), (Samantha, Abigail, Emily, & James); Kathryn (Aaron), (Madilyn, Jack, Charlie, & Henry); Monte Jr. (Brittany), (Cole, Chance, Shelby, & Luke); and Nathaniel (Katie), (Brooklyn & Lincoln); who all live in Ada County, Idaho. The youngest grandson Parker lives near Colorado Springs in Colorado. Frances was preceded in death by her parents and siblings.

Memorial Keepers (1)

Frances Harris Moore