Frances Karins Updike

Frances (Fran) Karins Updike, age 88, passed away on December 11, 2024, in Venice, FL. Her death was the culmination of a life lived to the fullest. As a wife and mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, artist, teacher, gardener, swimmer, potter, shepherd, reader, and weaver, Fran brought fun, laughter, beauty, and wit into the lives of all around her.

Fran graduated from Mary Washington College with a degree in Money and Banking, but went on to practice and share her real love, which was art. She taught at the Friends Select School in Philadelphia, PA and later taught art at York Country Day School in York, PA. Fran and her dearly beloved husband Bud raised their 4 children in York, Pennsylvania, where she built a community of friends and fellow artists. She was active with York Art Association, York College, York YWCA, Pennsylvania Watercolor Society, and York Little Theater. She won the Rottler Award from York Art Association for her watercolors in 2001 and 2006.

Her last years were lived in Osprey and Venice, Florida, where Fran continued to paint and create pottery at the Venice Art Center, and make a widening circle of friends.

Every house Fran and her husband Bud lived in during their 65 years together, they transformed with her art and their antiques into a beautiful home full of family, friends, animals, flowers, and homecooked meals. This included their 90-acre farm in Southern York County, PA, where she raised sheep and spun and knit their wool, collected cats and dogs and ducks, stocked a pond, cultivated daylilies, befriended the local farmers, and found a giant wooden brontosaurus she placed in the backyard for the grandchildren to climb.

Fran continued to paint throughout her lifetime, further perfecting the art of her watercolor florals, and shared her art as a teacher, volunteer, grandmother and great grandmother into her last years, always wanting young people to appreciate the value and self-discovery it brought. Fran said nature was her inspiration, sharing that "I can never fully complete this exploration of light and design."

Fran treasured her 14 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren and uplifted each one uniquely according to their gifts. As one of her great grandchildren so eloquently said: Manue is love!



An optimist and courageous to the very end-Everyday she said, "Tomorrow I will feel better". No matter how rough the day, she tackled it dressed, her hair coiffed, and fingernails painted bubblegum pink. The day before she passed, Fran said, "I have a hair appointment at 2:00 tomorrow".

We have faith that Fran is once more in a beautiful home-a home that surpasses all others-surrounded by her mother and father and sister, Isabel, and other dear family and friends. We wait joyfully to see her again.

Frances leaves behind her husband of 65 years Furman (Bud) Updike who she loved unceasingly; her four children, Karin Gillespie, Elizabeth (Betsy) Jiranek, James (Jim) Updike and Jonathan Updike; her four in-law children, Andy Gillespie, Drew Jiranek, Connie Updike and Marcie Updike; 14 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, as well as beloved friends who span the globe.

Sayonara for now and sweet dreams, Fran.

A Celebration of Life will be held on May 10, 2025, at 11:00 am in Venice, FL, at the Venice Presbyterian Church. Fran was interred at Lawrenceville Cemetery in Lawrenceville, NJ. Donations in memory of Fran may be made to York Art Association in York, PA (www.yorkartassociation.org/giving) or Venice Art Center in Venice, FL (www.veniceartcenter.com/please-donate).