Fran was born at the Great Depression's onset to Samuel and Jane Edwards, immigrants from Darlaston, England (UK). A brother Vincent had been born in England in 1917 (died in Joliet, 1961) as well as a sister Violet (died as a toddler in England).
As a girl, Fran lived on Ridgewood Avenue in Joliet, one block away from where she would reside for 20 years when married to Don Holmquist. Her father worked at U.S. Steel until falling ill in 1938 and passed away from stomach cancer in 1939. During World War II with Vincent in Europe in the U.S. Army, Jane worked at the sprawling Joliet Arsenal and Fran worked at Will County Cleaners.
Fran graduated from Joliet Township High School in 1947 and was employed at Illinois Bell Telephone on and off for the next 35 years.
Fran and Don had five children in their 45 year marriage: Darrell (1950), Nancy (1952), Wendy (1960), Donna (1965), and Alan (1966).
Her proudest civic achievement was serving on the Joliet Township High School Board from 1969 to 1989. She was THE vote which kept Joliet Central High School open when downsizing in the district occurred in 1983.
Health problems plagued Fran during the last 20 years of her life, among them multiple sclerosis, dementia, and an irregular heart beat.
Placed in Snow Valley home in Lisle a year after Don died, Fran took a nap on Ash Wednesday, 2000 and never awoke. It was her wish that the funeral cortege make a lap around her beloved Joliet Central on the way to Elmhurst Cemetery. That wish was carried out.
As a girl, Fran lived on Ridgewood Avenue in Joliet, one block away from where she would reside for 20 years when married to Don Holmquist. Her father worked at U.S. Steel until falling ill in 1938 and passed away from stomach cancer in 1939. During World War II with Vincent in Europe in the U.S. Army, Jane worked at the sprawling Joliet Arsenal and Fran worked at Will County Cleaners.
Fran graduated from Joliet Township High School in 1947 and was employed at Illinois Bell Telephone on and off for the next 35 years.
Fran and Don had five children in their 45 year marriage: Darrell (1950), Nancy (1952), Wendy (1960), Donna (1965), and Alan (1966).
Her proudest civic achievement was serving on the Joliet Township High School Board from 1969 to 1989. She was THE vote which kept Joliet Central High School open when downsizing in the district occurred in 1983.
Health problems plagued Fran during the last 20 years of her life, among them multiple sclerosis, dementia, and an irregular heart beat.
Placed in Snow Valley home in Lisle a year after Don died, Fran took a nap on Ash Wednesday, 2000 and never awoke. It was her wish that the funeral cortege make a lap around her beloved Joliet Central on the way to Elmhurst Cemetery. That wish was carried out.
Fran was born at the Great Depression's onset to Samuel and Jane Edwards, immigrants from Darlaston, England (UK). A brother Vincent had been born in England in 1917 (died in Joliet, 1961) as well as a sister Violet (died as a toddler in England).
As a girl, Fran lived on Ridgewood Avenue in Joliet, one block away from where she would reside for 20 years when married to Don Holmquist. Her father worked at U.S. Steel until falling ill in 1938 and passed away from stomach cancer in 1939. During World War II with Vincent in Europe in the U.S. Army, Jane worked at the sprawling Joliet Arsenal and Fran worked at Will County Cleaners.
Fran graduated from Joliet Township High School in 1947 and was employed at Illinois Bell Telephone on and off for the next 35 years.
Fran and Don had five children in their 45 year marriage: Darrell (1950), Nancy (1952), Wendy (1960), Donna (1965), and Alan (1966).
Her proudest civic achievement was serving on the Joliet Township High School Board from 1969 to 1989. She was THE vote which kept Joliet Central High School open when downsizing in the district occurred in 1983.
Health problems plagued Fran during the last 20 years of her life, among them multiple sclerosis, dementia, and an irregular heart beat.
Placed in Snow Valley home in Lisle a year after Don died, Fran took a nap on Ash Wednesday, 2000 and never awoke. It was her wish that the funeral cortege make a lap around her beloved Joliet Central on the way to Elmhurst Cemetery. That wish was carried out.
As a girl, Fran lived on Ridgewood Avenue in Joliet, one block away from where she would reside for 20 years when married to Don Holmquist. Her father worked at U.S. Steel until falling ill in 1938 and passed away from stomach cancer in 1939. During World War II with Vincent in Europe in the U.S. Army, Jane worked at the sprawling Joliet Arsenal and Fran worked at Will County Cleaners.
Fran graduated from Joliet Township High School in 1947 and was employed at Illinois Bell Telephone on and off for the next 35 years.
Fran and Don had five children in their 45 year marriage: Darrell (1950), Nancy (1952), Wendy (1960), Donna (1965), and Alan (1966).
Her proudest civic achievement was serving on the Joliet Township High School Board from 1969 to 1989. She was THE vote which kept Joliet Central High School open when downsizing in the district occurred in 1983.
Health problems plagued Fran during the last 20 years of her life, among them multiple sclerosis, dementia, and an irregular heart beat.
Placed in Snow Valley home in Lisle a year after Don died, Fran took a nap on Ash Wednesday, 2000 and never awoke. It was her wish that the funeral cortege make a lap around her beloved Joliet Central on the way to Elmhurst Cemetery. That wish was carried out.
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