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Frances Towne - wife, mother, volunteer, retired teacher and mentor - passed away peacefully at her home on the evening of November 20, 2015. Frances Margaret was born on August 13, 1913 to Willie B. and Calla B. Geisler at her grandmother's home on Clanton Street in Los Angeles, California. Frances, the eldest of three children, was raised on the family country residence on West Telegraph Road in Santa Paula, California. As a youngster, she attended Briggs Elementary School and subsequently graduated from Santa Paula High School in 1931. For a short while she attended the University of Los Angeles and then, following an economic hiatus, earned her baccalaureate degree from California State University at San Jose, majoring in primary education. While studying at San Jose, Frances met the love of her life and future husband, Wayne Harrison Towne. Following her graduation from the university, Frances entered a two year contract with the Santa Paula School District to teach elementary age school children. Soon thereafter, she married Wayne Towne on August 24, 1941, but was unable to join him until fulfilling her teaching contract obligation in June 1943. Without further delay, Frances moved to Fresno and taught elementary age children until her first daughter, Janet Lee was born. Janet was later joined in turn by her siblings, Patricia Ann and then Mary Jane. After the three girls grew older, Frances resumed her teaching career in 1962 and continued until she retired in 1978. Frances was an active participant of Phi Beta Psi, a sorority funding cancer research for greater than 60 years. She loved to sing as an active member of the Retired Teachers’ Choir and participated in the Lady Lions of Fresno. She also volunteered with YWCA over many consecutive years to help underprivileged children attend summer stays at Camp Mar-Y-Mac along Dinky Creek in the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains east of Fresno. Frances was preceded in death by her parents Willie and Calla; Wayne, her loyal and treasured husband of 72 years; and her sisters Marjorie Hudson and Mildred Hargrave. She is survived by her three children, Janet L. Towne, Patricia A. Towne, Mary J. Towne-Merritt and her husband J. Wesley Merritt. The family wishes to acknowledge and thank the in-home caregivers who cheerfully and ceaselessly provided warm, loving care to Mother and continuously saw to her comfort; Diana Campos, Gloria Williams, Kevin Maxwell, Isabel Taylor, Sylvia Rodriguez and Robert Robinson. Services will be held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 1455 L Street, Fresno, CA 93721 on Saturday, December 12, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Donations in remembrance of Frances G. Towne may be made to the Phi Beta Psi Sorority, 551 E. Menlo Avenue, Fresno, CA 93710; the Fresno Scottish Rite Language Disorders Clinic, 1455 L Street, Fresno, CA 93721; or the charity of your choice.

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Frances Margaret Geisler Towne

August 13, 1913 - November 20, 2015