Frances Mary Thom Grilley, 94, peacefully passed away in Bellevue, Wash., on Aug. 29, 2012.
Frances "Sis" was born Sept. 8, 1917, near Minot. She was the youngest of 12 children born to Thomas and Sophia Hegle. Frances attended elementary school in Freedom Township and after graduating from Minot High School she attended business school.
In 1941, Frances married Roland Thom in Bowling Green, Mo. Frances and Roland operated the South Prairie Store and also raised their daughter, Dianne, at South Prairie. After Roland passed away in 1957, Frances worked at Farmers Union Oil Co. for many years.
In 1966, she married George Grilley. They spent summers at the farm near Deering, and winters in Minot. They loved to travel in the off-season. Frances and George were members of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Minot.
George passed away in 2003 and Frances continued living in Minot until 2009, when she moved to Washington to be near her family.
Frances is survived by: her daughter, Dianne Kleingartner; granddaughters, Elizabeth (Mark), Sara (Tom), Mary; and great-granddaughters, Paige, Viola and Ellison; and many nieces and nephews.
Celebration of Life Service: Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, 1 p.m., at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Minot.
Interment: Saron Lutheran Church Cemetery, rural Minot.
Visitation: Will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.
Memorials: Are preferred to Our Savior Lutheran Church or Saron Lutheran Church.
Those wanting to sign the online memorial register or share memories and condolences are invited to use the expressions of sympathy section at (www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com).