Frances (Fran) Jane Walters, 93, of Lavonia, died October 17, 2015 at The Habersham Home, Demorest, GA. Born February 1, 1922 in Lavonia, she was the daughter of the late Traul (T.G.) Walters and Lois Woodward Walters. She was preceded in death by her sister, Mary Walters Kimmerle Clayton, and is survived by another sister, Julia Walters Rhino and brother-in-law, Chappell Rhino. She is also survived by nieces and nephews, Randy & Missy Rhino, Danny & Rhonda Rhino, Vicky & Bobby Ryder, Tim & Julie Rhino, David & Karen Rhino, Lynne & Chris Parker, and Mikal Kimmerle, and by many great-nieces and nephews.
Fran lived in Moultrie, GA most of her early years and in 1937 her family moved to Atlanta, where her father worked for the State of Georgia as the State Supervisor of Agriculture Education. After finishing Girls High School, she attended Georgia State College for Women in Milledgeville, GA and graduated in 1943 with a B.S. in Dietetics. She interned at Duke Hospital before taking her first job at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Later she was employed by the State of California and in 1979 she retired and returned to Georgia, where she built a beautiful home on land given to her by her father.
Fran was a great gardener, taking pride in sharing her vegetables and flowers with her many friends and family. She was an avid reader, exercised daily at the YMCA in Toccoa at the age of 90, and her great delight was playing bridge weekly with her three bridge clubs.
Her family wishes to thank Amedisys Hospice and her four caregivers, Martha Taylor, Mary Frances Johnson, Helen Varner, and Victoria Pharr, for all of the love and care she received from them.
The memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. Sunday, October 25, 2015 at the Lavonia Chapel of Strickland Funeral Home with Rev. Tommy Childress, Amedisys Hospice Chaplain, officiating and Rev. Randall Massengill of Lavonia United Methodist Church assisting. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until the service hour. Following the service, her ashes will be buried in the Walters Family Plot at the Lavonia City – Burgess Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Amedisys Hospice Services, 53 Rock Drive, Toccoa, GA 30577.