Frances L. Ketcheson

Frances LaVerne Ketcheson Hokr, 87, of Fort Collins, formerly of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Emmett and Boise, Idaho died peacefully on November 7, 2013.
Frances was born to Ralph and Hattie Hokr on a farm outside of Ellsworth, Kansas on December 7, 1925; delivered at home with the help of her father; the youngest of ten children. She lived through the Great Depression and the famous dust storms in Kansas. After graduating from high school in Ellsworth, Fran was a USO volunteer, and worked at the Hercules Powder Plant near Lawrence Kansas. After the war, she worked at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company. She met Leslie Ketcheson at a dance in Salina, Kansas. They married June 6, 1947, and lived in Boulder, CO while Les attended CU. They spent three years in Sheridan, WY before moving to Cheyenne in 1953, where they developed many cherished friendships. Fran enjoyed her work as a volunteer at Memorial Hospital and Meals On Wheels, PTA, and the local diabetes association. She was active in the First Presbyterian Church and PEO. She was renowned for her cooking and ability to feed large gatherings. After retiring, they moved to Emmett, ID in 1986; started a Christmas Tree Farm and traveled extensively. Winters were spent in Arizona. Fran enjoyed tending her large garden, sharing the fruits of her labors, continued membership in the Church and many new friends. In 1993, they retired from the tree farm and moved to Boise, but continued to spend winters in Arizona, where she continued relationships with lifelong friends. They moved to Fort Collins, CO in 2010. She is survived by her husband, Les; children; Kathy Ketcheson and Don Flaherty of Laporte, CO; Roger and Linda Ketcheson of Orem, UT; and Gary and Liz Kennedy Ketcheson of Greenbank, WA; seven grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service celebrating Fran's life will be held at Good Samaritan Retirement Village Chapel, 508 Trilby, Fort Collins, on November 23, 2013 at 1pm.
In lieu of flowers, Fran's family suggests a donation to the American Diabetes Association in her memory in care of Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524.