Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Our mother, aunt and friend, Mary Frances Chambers, passed away at age 99 at her daughter’s home on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020. Frances was born on July 25, 1921, in Hood River, Ore., to parents Henry F. Smith and Grace Binns Smith. She was a middle child with eight siblings. When Frances was around 6 months old, she gave her family a big scare. One cold winter day, she stopped breathing and was turning blue. Her father grabbed her and ran outside into the cold air and snow. The shock of the cold air made her start breathing again. Little did anyone know she would get 99 more years! And, those years were pretty great.
She attended school in Hood River and began working at the Spudnut and the Super Cream diners. She and her husband, Harold "Bud" Chambers, married on Feb. 10, 1944. Other than some time they spent in Carlsbad, N.M., while Bud was an airplane mechanic in the Army Airforce, she lived in her beloved Hood River all of her life. After his discharge, they returned to Hood River, where they built their home on Rand Road. Many good times were spent there with family and friends. They welcomed their daughter Debbie in 1955 and Frances began her first career as a wonderful mother. After 48 years of marriage, Bud passed away in 1992.
Frances began a second career when her sister, Bette Walters, who asked her to come help out at her restaurant. Frances became the baker and was very well known for her pies and cakes as well as her friendly smile given freely to everyone. She made many friends while there and certainly contributed to the restaurant’s dessert menu success. She also enjoyed embroidery and many of us are the recipients of some of her good work. Reading was also a favorite past time until her eyesight began to diminish. No matter her troubles, she was always positive in her outlook.
Frances was lucky to find companionship a second time with Murray Crosby. They spent many good years together, traveling to Hawaii and many places around the United States visiting friends and family. Murray passed away in 2018.
Frances was an amazing mother and a great support to Debbie and her family. She loved them deeply. She was everyone’s favorite aunt to her many nieces and nephews as well as her friends' kids. She was always a great support and wonderful advisor to all who needed it. She was always ready for an adventure or to go for a ride around the valley she loved and knew so well.
Frances is survived by her daughter, Debbie Courtier, and son-in-law Don; grandsons Curtis and Rusty; great-grandchil-dren Nick, Travis, Cyruss, Bella, Hanna and Ryden; as well as many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, husband Bud and companion Murray. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
A memorial service is planned for Monday, Jan. 11 at Hood River Valley Christian Church at 1 p.m. Due to COVID restrictions, the service will be limited to 50 attendees and masks are required. A graveside service will follow at Idlewilde Cemetery. Attendance is limited to 100 attendees, with masks and social distancing. The service will also be lived streamed through facebook. Details will be posted on Frances’ Anderson’s webpage.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.