Friday, December 2, 2011

Frances


Frances Forster - loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin, niece, and friend - went to be with the angels following a brief illness on November 25, 2011 in San Antonio, Texas. She spent her last hours surrounded by family.


Frances was born on July 27, 1930 to William and Sarah Phillips in Hopkins County, Texas. She married Charles Forster on November 20, 1952 in Carrizo Springs, Texas where they made their home for many years. Together they owned several businesses in Carrizo Springs allowing her to hone her natural business abilities. Later, she served as Food Service Director for the Carrizo Springs Ind. School District. She delighted in planning tasty nutritious meals for the school children of CSISD within budget while developing long-standing strong relationships with her staff. Widowed in 1991, she remained in Carrizo Springs until her retirement in 1997 when she moved to San Antonio, Texas.

Frances loved to explore new places even when that meant traveling to every one of the contiguous states plus Alaska in a pick-up camper with three young boys. Later, she enjoyed more sophisticated options which took her to destinations as diverse as St. Petersburg, the Panama Canal, London, and Hawaii. She traveled to Alaska many times and spent nine months in Mexico with her daughter traveling, learning the language and meeting people.

During the last few years in San Antonio she served as an officer or board member of several senior citizen groups in her church and community. She jokingly referred to Casa Helotes Senior Center as her new job. Her “job” description included playing “42”, several other domino games, Bridge, Canasta, Poker, and making sure everyone felt welcome and important. She was an avid fan of the San Antonio Spurs, and she treasured the games she saw in person.

Frances was a committed Catholic. In Carrizo Springs, she was an active member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. Her church home in San Antonio was St. Anthony Claret. Seeking out a church for Sunday worship was an intricate part of all her travels.

Her family was of upmost importance to Frances. She was never happier than when children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren crowded around her table. Survivors include four children: Dona Calcote and her husband Stanley Ashmore of Parras Coah Mexico, Charles Phillip “Frosty” Forster and his wife Jill Dacus of San Antonio TX, Joseph Forster and his wife Janet of Germantown MD, and James Forster and his wife Sarah of Zeeland MI; ten grandchildren: Miriam Frances “Panchi” Scown of Alpine TX, Sarah Locke, Glenn Lanson “Trey” Lowrance III, Kelly Forster, and Katie Johnson all of San Antonio TX, Jacqueline Forster and Justin Forster of Germantown MD, Anders Forster, Grace Forster and Cole Forster of Zeeland MI. She leaves eleven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two dear brothers, Jerry Phillips of Athens TX and Joe Phillips of Floyada TX, numerous cousins, two nieces, one nephew, and a host of friends from places far and near. All of them were dear to her.

A funeral mass for Frances will be held on Friday, December 2 at 2:00PM at St. Anthony Claret, 6150 Roft Road, San Antonio. Grave-side services will be held at Mount Hope Cemetery in Carrizo Springs on Saturday, December 3 at 1:00PM.