Frances McNeff

Frances Kay McNeff, known as Kay to all, relocated to an eternal heavenly home with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on January 9, 2024, after 73 years of a life well lived. She was born to Cecil Richards and Mary Frances (Drain) Nylen on February 16, 1950, in the growing town of McKinney, Texas and graduated from Lake Highland HS in Dallas.
Kay studied at the University of Texas, in Austin, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree, and became a teacher. She had a passion for imparting knowledge and used her talents to teach English and History to 7th and 8th graders in Austin and Richardson.
Combining her creativity and love of learning, she choose hobbies that challenged her, from tennis, skiing, sewing, puzzling, gardening, crafting intricate decorative cakes, gourmet cooking, pickling, growing yeast for homemade dough to even graduating from the Plano Citizens Fire Academy. You would never find her without at least a couple of non-fiction books in progress. Her love of gourmet cooking and baking made family gatherings a much-anticipated event, everyone always looked forward to a delicious meal! Kay was a real-life renaissance woman, one of incredible mental strength and an elephants memory, but balanced with compassion and a quick, witty sense of humor. She was the life of the party and always fashionable well-dressed.
Kay adored traveling the world with the love of her life, Patrick. Together, they explored and experienced many cultures throughout Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and North America. Her favorite adventure was admiring the tight-knit family of elephants relaxing and playing at the Four Seasons water hole on the Serengeti plains of Tanzania.
Kay was a longtime resident of Plano and Dallas, Texas, but fondly remembered her years in Austin. Kay is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Patrick McNeff, her son Clint McNeff and his wife Kelly, her grandchildren Jackson and Emerson McNeff, her daughter Kristin McNeff and her sister, Joy (Richards) Cisler. She was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil Richards, Mary Frances (Drain) Nylen and her stepfather Noel Nylen.
In line with Kay's Baptist faith, we find solace in the verses of the Bible, particularly John 14:1-3: "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."
Kay's legacy will live on in the hearts of those she touched. In lieu of a funeral, the family will hold a small celebration in Kays honor. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Frances, please visit our Tree Store.