Frances Erb Franz died on May 2, 2000. She was born on June 29, 1915 in Portland, ME. During her childhood, her family moved to Philadelphia, PA, and finally to Rochester, NY, where her father held a professorship at the Rochester Colgate Divinity School. Mrs. Franz graduated from West High School in Rochester in 1933 and was inducted into the National Honor Society in her senior year. She attended Denison University where she was honored with membership in the Phi Beta Kappa Society and graduated in 1937. After her marriage to Fred W. Franz in 1938, she moved to LI where her husband worked as a physical education teacher and folk dance leader and she became the mother of four children. She lived in Westbury unitil 1995 when she and her husband moved to Englewood, FL.

Mrs. Franz lived a life of active service to her community. In Westbury, she taught nursery school at the Church of the Advent for many years. That led her to pursue a graduate degree in elementary education at Adelphi College. Mrs. Franz then taught kindergarten in the Westbury Public Schools for 12 years. She was an active member of both the Asbury Methodist Church in Westbury and the Englewood United Methodist Church in Florida. For several years, Mrs. Franz acted as secretary to the board of the Gulf-to-Bay Cooperative, the community in which she lived in Englewood, and served as the secretary of the United Methodist Women.

Mrs. Franz is survived by four children, Peg Franz of Navajo, NM, Bill Franz of Bethesda, MD, George Franz of New York, NY and Kathryn Franz of Rochester; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She will be lovingly remembered for her kindness, helpfulness and brilliant smile. Arrangements were made by the National Cremation Society, Port Charlotte, FL. A memorial service was held May 6 at the Doan Chapel of the Englewood United Methodist Church. Memorial donations may be made in her name to the Asbury Methodist Chruch, Asbury Ave., Westbury, NY 11590 or Hospice of SW Florida, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34238.