Frances Laura Graves

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• _UID: BA8E6E98852946B286A81900311C5BAD9084

Notes:

Frances Laura Graves Skinner was born March 28, 1915 at Coweta, Oklahoma and died August 20, 2005 at Peabody, Kansas at age 90. Her parents were Frank and Ida Stemmons Graves. She had a brother and a sister, Wilbur and Lucy. The family moved to Harvey County, Kansas when Frances was a child, and then to Whitewater where she graduated from high school in 1932.

She graduated from Butler County Junior College and then Kansas State Teachers College at Emporia. She taught five years in country schools, Prairie Center in Marion County, then Hazel Dell in Harvey County and Brainerd in Butler County. Following that, she taught 20 years at Peabody Elementary School.

She married Merle Skinner June 6, 1943 at her parents' home in Whitewater. They lived on the farm northeast of Peabody for most of their married life. They had three children. Frances was a longtime member of Peabody United Methodist Church and its Womens' Society of Christian Service and various other church circles. She was a member of Sorosis for 61 years. She had also been a member of the Up and Doing club northeast of Peabody in the 1940s and 1950s. She had beautiful handwriting.

Frances enjoyed her flower and vegetable gardens, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In her childhood she was active in 4-H. The high point of that period was baking an angel food cake in a contest at the Kansas State Fair in 1930. She won a $13 prize. She enjoyed helping her great-grandchildren with their 4-H projects. In 2005, shortly before she died, she was recognized at the Marion County Fair as the oldest former 4-Her there.

Frances and Merle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June 1993. When she turned 90 there was a party for friends and family. Frances celebrated every turn of the season and loved showing her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren each new wonder of the natural world. For many years she made daily notations on her kitchen calendars and now those calendars are a cherished record of our lives.

Frances married Merle David Skinner on 6 Jun 1943 in Whitewater, Butler County, Kansas, USA. Merle was born on 14 Jun 1901 in Peabody, Marion County, Kansas, USA; died on 4 Jan 1994 in Newton, Harvey County, Kansas, USA; was buried in Peabody, Marion County, Kansas, USA, Prairie Lawn Cemetery. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]