Frances Eccles

1927 - 2013

Frances "Frankie" Boyd Eccles
December 15, 1927-October 21, 2013
Frankie, 85, of Modesto passed away peacefully at home with family on October 21, 2013 after a long battle with Alzheimer's.
A memorial to celebrate Frankie's life will be held at the Church of the Brethren, 2301 Woodland Ave., Modesto on Saturday November 23rd at 3pm.  We will all be wearing red in honor of her favorite color and the dynamic life she led.
Frankie was born in Oklahoma, raised in Texas, and moved to California as a teenager.  She joined the Air Force as a young woman in her 20's and was the first Public Relations Representative for the Blue Angels, as a Second Lieutenant.  She traveled to Europe and Libya with the Air Force where she met her husband to be, Dick Eccles.  They were married in Germany where they started their family.  Upon return to the U.S. they lived in Massachusetts, were married 20 years, and had 6 children, whom they raised overseas in Western Samoa and India while Dick was a Director in the Peace Corps.
Frankie was a teacher with a degree from the University of Redlands, obtaining a Master's Degree from UCSB later in life.  She was a Merced County Curriculum Consultant and one of the original educators that established a program for integrating the new Hmong community into Merced County in the 1980's.  After Merced she worked as the Principal for Jumairah American School in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and a teacher at the International School of Makati, Manila, Philippines. She was truly a citizen of the world, and instilled the love of travel in her children and grandchildren.
Frankie was an amazing artist who painted oils, 2 of which were published as postage stamps in Western Samoa. She was also a skilled quilt maker, embroidery artist, and photographer.
When this beautiful, active woman was forced to slow down due to the onset of Alzheimer's, she moved to Modesto to be close to her grandchildren for the last 7 years of her life, which she spent peacefully and happily with the help of our wonderful friends, Lucy and George Filip, owners of Blossom Home Care.  We thank Lucy and George from the bottom of our hearts for the love and care they provided Mom in the final years of her life.  They are part of our family now and forever.
Frankie is survived by her daughters, Lisa Crenshaw of Modesto, Marcia Cruz of La Grange, and Julianne Ota of Simi Valley, her sons, Steve Eccles of Merced and Dan Eccles of Klamath Falls, her grandsons, Jake Crenshaw (UCLA), William Ota (Pepperdine), and Robert Ota of Simi Valley, her granddaughter, Sina Crenshaw of Modesto, her son-in-law, Dale Ota, her daughter-in-law, Toula Eccles, and her step-granddaughter, Athena Xiong.  She is preceded in death by her son Brian Eccles (age 30) and grandson Christopher Eccles (age 17).
In lieu of flowers we politely request that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association in her name at alz.org or at 1-800-272-3900.
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