Frances Sondles

Frances Sondles

WADSWORTH -- Frances Sondles was born in Barberton, Ohio on May 1, 1921.

She was the second of five children of Robert D. and Mary H. Sondles. The family moved to Wadsworth when she was five and she resided there for the next 80 years. After graduating from WHS with the class of 1939 she began her career with the Ohio Match Company and became secretary to Mr. Don Young, the President.

After the company offices moved to California, Frances's next challenge was that of office manager for Dr. Edward Suchard, an Akron orthodontist. Upon his retirement, Frances also retired. However, one year later she joined the Allen and Hartzell real estate and insurance firm, from which she retired in 1994.

Frances had many interests; reading, classical music, cooking, biking, skiing, traveling, and especially her Dachshunds. She was a member of Art & History Class and a very involved member of the Akron All-Breed Training Club and as such helped found the club's facility at the Summit Co. Jr. Fair Grounds.

Frances was devoted to her family and was "Aunt Fram" to the 13 nieces and nephews and 19 grandnieces and grandnephews. She hosted family Christmas Eve celebration for many years until Parkinson's disease and macular degeneration necessitated a move to assisted living in 2003. On February 26, 2008 Frances left this life at Altercare of Wadsworth.

She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Robert D. Sondles Jr. She is survived by sisters, Martha (Mrs. Edward Ruch), Dolly (Mrs. Donald Gordon); sister-in-law, June Sondles, all of Wadsworth; and brother, James E. (Janet Sondles) of Bay Village, Ohio; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to All-Breed Training Club of Akron, 2730 Chelsea Dr., Akron, OH 44312, or Altercare of Wadsworth, 147 Garfield St., Wadsworth, OH 44281.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Hilliard-Rospert Funeral Home, 174 N. Lyman St., Wadsworth. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 1263 Shannon Ave., Barberton, with Fr. Robert Jackson celebrating. Please meet at church on Saturday. (Hilliard-Rospert, 330-334-1501)