Frances died peacefully, July 6, 2015, in Vancouver, Washington, with her family by her side. She was born Feb. 27, 1922, in Calipatria, Calif., to parents, Mable Olive (Paulson) Chellis and Walter Edwin Chellis.
Frances was the fifth of eight children. The family moved to the Long Beach Peninsula in 1924, just before Frances turned 3 years old. There they bought one block of land near Ocean Park. Walter built several buildings, including three cabins to rent and a large laundry building, operating it as a business for needed income. He planned to build a large family home on the ridge of their land, but in February 1931, Walter drowned working crabpots alone. Mable was left five months' pregnant with seven other children to raise alone.
This was the Depression era, making their fledgling laundry business succeed was a must.
Frances, age nine, folded, packaged and hand-delivered laundry to local area residents, running constantly and braving dogs. Betty, age 10 1/2, operated the mangle, ironing all types of linens and the legs of starched pants. Lorna, age 12, ironed by hand the tops of pants, white shirts and uniforms. How amazing to get children this young to do a professional and time productive job.
After work, if the tides were right in the bay (not the ocean), they went swimming and then came home to a big bonfire and games with their cousins and friends. Frances's two older brothers, Ed and Walt, salvaged railroad ties from the discontinued Ilwaco Railroad and Navigation Company for these fires.
Frances loved school and did very well. Frances had a half point lower than the top student on the whole of Pacific County. The Nahcotta Elementary School burned to the ground, Jan. 14, 1936, during her eighth grade year. She finished the eighth grade at the Ocean Park Methodist Church. For years she was teased that they had to burn the school down to get her to move on. She then attended Ilwaco High School, graduating in 1940. This is where she met the love of her life, George.
Frances and George married Feb. 2, 1942. They made their first home in Seattle, where George worked at the Boeing plant. When George was drafted in July 1944, he moved his little family back to Ocean Park to be near Frances's family. The family included one-year-old Judy, and Frances was six months' pregnant with Mary Ellen.
While George was in the service, Frances purchased five acres. George came home in February 1946. They started building their home. Most of the lumber they used was from logs salvaged off the beach and milled by a friend. The family moved into their home on April 1, 1947. The following year they added to their family with a son, Mike.
In 1965 after they'd become "empty-nesters," they moved to Juneau, Alaska, Frances to cook for her sister Lorna's restaurant and George to weld on the federal building. The following year they lived and worked at a floating log camp. Frances was asked to look after the camp "grandpa" (90 years old) as he fished. They spent several hours a day in the little skiff on a large bay. Frances became a skilled fisherwoman cooking, smoking, and canning her catch. This became their way of life for the next few years. They traveled for work in the timber industry during the work season, spring and fall, to locations in Alaska, North Washington, and the Oregon coast. In the winter, they returned to their home and all that they loved, family (grandchildren), and the Peninsula.
In 1982 they "retired." This time Frances began caring for "older" people in their homes, until she was 75 years old. In 2002 George became very ill and bedridden for months. Frances took care of George until his death.
Frances was a skilled seamstress; sewing little dresses that were ruffled, embroidered and smocked. For herself she made stylish, tailored suits, dresses and a heavy, wool coat with bound buttonholes. She did all of this on a treadle sewing machine. Frances loved needlework including crocheting, embroidery, and knitting. She created beautiful doilies (one doily was 30 inches across with a 4-inch high ruffle). For her mother's table she created a 10-foot tablecloth with heavy satin embroidery done with rayon threads. Frances knit stocking caps for the chemo ward where her granddaughter was being treated. The caps were the perfect weight and warmth for the chemo "hairless" 'do and were always requested. The men in the chemo ward requested subdued colors as hot pink was not their style.
In 1992 their son, Mike, was killed in Alaska. This time Frances threw herself into growing flowers, nearly filling her large front yard. Tourists, hearing about this garden, would drive by for a "look-see." Anyone stopping to talk with her left with an armful of flowers. Every week she arranged about three bouquets to take to her church. These bouquets she gave to people with birthdays, anniversaries, or illness.
Frances was not afraid of hard work. She would meet work face on and dig right in, often she would find humor in the disagreeable. Comments one often heard her say were: "Come on, the day's wastin' away (at 6 a.m.)" or "If you don't use it, you'll lose it" and the ever favorite for the coast was "It's better to wear out than rust out." She set a high standard example that quite frankly on some days is unreachable.
Frances loved her Lord, family and life. Someone once said to her, "We love you, Frances, we just don't like your religion," to which she replied, "But you don't realize, my religion makes me the person I am."
She loved, was loved, and will be greatly missed.
Frances was preceded in death by her husband, George on Aug. 12, 2003; her son, Mike on Feb. 20, 1992; her granddaughter, Tami on July 20, 2004, and all of her brothers and sisters and their spouses, with the exception of her youngest brother's wife, Lenella Chellis (now husband, Mace Gay).
Frances is survived by her daughters, Mary Ellen Johnston and Judy (Ted) Linn; 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Frances was the fifth of eight children. The family moved to the Long Beach Peninsula in 1924, just before Frances turned 3 years old. There they bought one block of land near Ocean Park. Walter built several buildings, including three cabins to rent and a large laundry building, operating it as a business for needed income. He planned to build a large family home on the ridge of their land, but in February 1931, Walter drowned working crabpots alone. Mable was left five months' pregnant with seven other children to raise alone.
This was the Depression era, making their fledgling laundry business succeed was a must.
Frances, age nine, folded, packaged and hand-delivered laundry to local area residents, running constantly and braving dogs. Betty, age 10 1/2, operated the mangle, ironing all types of linens and the legs of starched pants. Lorna, age 12, ironed by hand the tops of pants, white shirts and uniforms. How amazing to get children this young to do a professional and time productive job.
After work, if the tides were right in the bay (not the ocean), they went swimming and then came home to a big bonfire and games with their cousins and friends. Frances's two older brothers, Ed and Walt, salvaged railroad ties from the discontinued Ilwaco Railroad and Navigation Company for these fires.
Frances loved school and did very well. Frances had a half point lower than the top student on the whole of Pacific County. The Nahcotta Elementary School burned to the ground, Jan. 14, 1936, during her eighth grade year. She finished the eighth grade at the Ocean Park Methodist Church. For years she was teased that they had to burn the school down to get her to move on. She then attended Ilwaco High School, graduating in 1940. This is where she met the love of her life, George.
Frances and George married Feb. 2, 1942. They made their first home in Seattle, where George worked at the Boeing plant. When George was drafted in July 1944, he moved his little family back to Ocean Park to be near Frances's family. The family included one-year-old Judy, and Frances was six months' pregnant with Mary Ellen.
While George was in the service, Frances purchased five acres. George came home in February 1946. They started building their home. Most of the lumber they used was from logs salvaged off the beach and milled by a friend. The family moved into their home on April 1, 1947. The following year they added to their family with a son, Mike.
In 1965 after they'd become "empty-nesters," they moved to Juneau, Alaska, Frances to cook for her sister Lorna's restaurant and George to weld on the federal building. The following year they lived and worked at a floating log camp. Frances was asked to look after the camp "grandpa" (90 years old) as he fished. They spent several hours a day in the little skiff on a large bay. Frances became a skilled fisherwoman cooking, smoking, and canning her catch. This became their way of life for the next few years. They traveled for work in the timber industry during the work season, spring and fall, to locations in Alaska, North Washington, and the Oregon coast. In the winter, they returned to their home and all that they loved, family (grandchildren), and the Peninsula.
In 1982 they "retired." This time Frances began caring for "older" people in their homes, until she was 75 years old. In 2002 George became very ill and bedridden for months. Frances took care of George until his death.
Frances was a skilled seamstress; sewing little dresses that were ruffled, embroidered and smocked. For herself she made stylish, tailored suits, dresses and a heavy, wool coat with bound buttonholes. She did all of this on a treadle sewing machine. Frances loved needlework including crocheting, embroidery, and knitting. She created beautiful doilies (one doily was 30 inches across with a 4-inch high ruffle). For her mother's table she created a 10-foot tablecloth with heavy satin embroidery done with rayon threads. Frances knit stocking caps for the chemo ward where her granddaughter was being treated. The caps were the perfect weight and warmth for the chemo "hairless" 'do and were always requested. The men in the chemo ward requested subdued colors as hot pink was not their style.
In 1992 their son, Mike, was killed in Alaska. This time Frances threw herself into growing flowers, nearly filling her large front yard. Tourists, hearing about this garden, would drive by for a "look-see." Anyone stopping to talk with her left with an armful of flowers. Every week she arranged about three bouquets to take to her church. These bouquets she gave to people with birthdays, anniversaries, or illness.
Frances was not afraid of hard work. She would meet work face on and dig right in, often she would find humor in the disagreeable. Comments one often heard her say were: "Come on, the day's wastin' away (at 6 a.m.)" or "If you don't use it, you'll lose it" and the ever favorite for the coast was "It's better to wear out than rust out." She set a high standard example that quite frankly on some days is unreachable.
Frances loved her Lord, family and life. Someone once said to her, "We love you, Frances, we just don't like your religion," to which she replied, "But you don't realize, my religion makes me the person I am."
She loved, was loved, and will be greatly missed.
Frances was preceded in death by her husband, George on Aug. 12, 2003; her son, Mike on Feb. 20, 1992; her granddaughter, Tami on July 20, 2004, and all of her brothers and sisters and their spouses, with the exception of her youngest brother's wife, Lenella Chellis (now husband, Mace Gay).
Frances is survived by her daughters, Mary Ellen Johnston and Judy (Ted) Linn; 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Frances died peacefully, July 6, 2015, in Vancouver, Washington, with her family by her side. She was born Feb. 27, 1922, in Calipatria, Calif., to parents, Mable Olive (Paulson) Chellis and Walter Edwin Chellis.
Frances was the fifth of eight children. The family moved to the Long Beach Peninsula in 1924, just before Frances turned 3 years old. There they bought one block of land near Ocean Park. Walter built several buildings, including three cabins to rent and a large laundry building, operating it as a business for needed income. He planned to build a large family home on the ridge of their land, but in February 1931, Walter drowned working crabpots alone. Mable was left five months' pregnant with seven other children to raise alone.
This was the Depression era, making their fledgling laundry business succeed was a must.
Frances, age nine, folded, packaged and hand-delivered laundry to local area residents, running constantly and braving dogs. Betty, age 10 1/2, operated the mangle, ironing all types of linens and the legs of starched pants. Lorna, age 12, ironed by hand the tops of pants, white shirts and uniforms. How amazing to get children this young to do a professional and time productive job.
After work, if the tides were right in the bay (not the ocean), they went swimming and then came home to a big bonfire and games with their cousins and friends. Frances's two older brothers, Ed and Walt, salvaged railroad ties from the discontinued Ilwaco Railroad and Navigation Company for these fires.
Frances loved school and did very well. Frances had a half point lower than the top student on the whole of Pacific County. The Nahcotta Elementary School burned to the ground, Jan. 14, 1936, during her eighth grade year. She finished the eighth grade at the Ocean Park Methodist Church. For years she was teased that they had to burn the school down to get her to move on. She then attended Ilwaco High School, graduating in 1940. This is where she met the love of her life, George.
Frances and George married Feb. 2, 1942. They made their first home in Seattle, where George worked at the Boeing plant. When George was drafted in July 1944, he moved his little family back to Ocean Park to be near Frances's family. The family included one-year-old Judy, and Frances was six months' pregnant with Mary Ellen.
While George was in the service, Frances purchased five acres. George came home in February 1946. They started building their home. Most of the lumber they used was from logs salvaged off the beach and milled by a friend. The family moved into their home on April 1, 1947. The following year they added to their family with a son, Mike.
In 1965 after they'd become "empty-nesters," they moved to Juneau, Alaska, Frances to cook for her sister Lorna's restaurant and George to weld on the federal building. The following year they lived and worked at a floating log camp. Frances was asked to look after the camp "grandpa" (90 years old) as he fished. They spent several hours a day in the little skiff on a large bay. Frances became a skilled fisherwoman cooking, smoking, and canning her catch. This became their way of life for the next few years. They traveled for work in the timber industry during the work season, spring and fall, to locations in Alaska, North Washington, and the Oregon coast. In the winter, they returned to their home and all that they loved, family (grandchildren), and the Peninsula.
In 1982 they "retired." This time Frances began caring for "older" people in their homes, until she was 75 years old. In 2002 George became very ill and bedridden for months. Frances took care of George until his death.
Frances was a skilled seamstress; sewing little dresses that were ruffled, embroidered and smocked. For herself she made stylish, tailored suits, dresses and a heavy, wool coat with bound buttonholes. She did all of this on a treadle sewing machine. Frances loved needlework including crocheting, embroidery, and knitting. She created beautiful doilies (one doily was 30 inches across with a 4-inch high ruffle). For her mother's table she created a 10-foot tablecloth with heavy satin embroidery done with rayon threads. Frances knit stocking caps for the chemo ward where her granddaughter was being treated. The caps were the perfect weight and warmth for the chemo "hairless" 'do and were always requested. The men in the chemo ward requested subdued colors as hot pink was not their style.
In 1992 their son, Mike, was killed in Alaska. This time Frances threw herself into growing flowers, nearly filling her large front yard. Tourists, hearing about this garden, would drive by for a "look-see." Anyone stopping to talk with her left with an armful of flowers. Every week she arranged about three bouquets to take to her church. These bouquets she gave to people with birthdays, anniversaries, or illness.
Frances was not afraid of hard work. She would meet work face on and dig right in, often she would find humor in the disagreeable. Comments one often heard her say were: "Come on, the day's wastin' away (at 6 a.m.)" or "If you don't use it, you'll lose it" and the ever favorite for the coast was "It's better to wear out than rust out." She set a high standard example that quite frankly on some days is unreachable.
Frances loved her Lord, family and life. Someone once said to her, "We love you, Frances, we just don't like your religion," to which she replied, "But you don't realize, my religion makes me the person I am."
She loved, was loved, and will be greatly missed.
Frances was preceded in death by her husband, George on Aug. 12, 2003; her son, Mike on Feb. 20, 1992; her granddaughter, Tami on July 20, 2004, and all of her brothers and sisters and their spouses, with the exception of her youngest brother's wife, Lenella Chellis (now husband, Mace Gay).
Frances is survived by her daughters, Mary Ellen Johnston and Judy (Ted) Linn; 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Frances was the fifth of eight children. The family moved to the Long Beach Peninsula in 1924, just before Frances turned 3 years old. There they bought one block of land near Ocean Park. Walter built several buildings, including three cabins to rent and a large laundry building, operating it as a business for needed income. He planned to build a large family home on the ridge of their land, but in February 1931, Walter drowned working crabpots alone. Mable was left five months' pregnant with seven other children to raise alone.
This was the Depression era, making their fledgling laundry business succeed was a must.
Frances, age nine, folded, packaged and hand-delivered laundry to local area residents, running constantly and braving dogs. Betty, age 10 1/2, operated the mangle, ironing all types of linens and the legs of starched pants. Lorna, age 12, ironed by hand the tops of pants, white shirts and uniforms. How amazing to get children this young to do a professional and time productive job.
After work, if the tides were right in the bay (not the ocean), they went swimming and then came home to a big bonfire and games with their cousins and friends. Frances's two older brothers, Ed and Walt, salvaged railroad ties from the discontinued Ilwaco Railroad and Navigation Company for these fires.
Frances loved school and did very well. Frances had a half point lower than the top student on the whole of Pacific County. The Nahcotta Elementary School burned to the ground, Jan. 14, 1936, during her eighth grade year. She finished the eighth grade at the Ocean Park Methodist Church. For years she was teased that they had to burn the school down to get her to move on. She then attended Ilwaco High School, graduating in 1940. This is where she met the love of her life, George.
Frances and George married Feb. 2, 1942. They made their first home in Seattle, where George worked at the Boeing plant. When George was drafted in July 1944, he moved his little family back to Ocean Park to be near Frances's family. The family included one-year-old Judy, and Frances was six months' pregnant with Mary Ellen.
While George was in the service, Frances purchased five acres. George came home in February 1946. They started building their home. Most of the lumber they used was from logs salvaged off the beach and milled by a friend. The family moved into their home on April 1, 1947. The following year they added to their family with a son, Mike.
In 1965 after they'd become "empty-nesters," they moved to Juneau, Alaska, Frances to cook for her sister Lorna's restaurant and George to weld on the federal building. The following year they lived and worked at a floating log camp. Frances was asked to look after the camp "grandpa" (90 years old) as he fished. They spent several hours a day in the little skiff on a large bay. Frances became a skilled fisherwoman cooking, smoking, and canning her catch. This became their way of life for the next few years. They traveled for work in the timber industry during the work season, spring and fall, to locations in Alaska, North Washington, and the Oregon coast. In the winter, they returned to their home and all that they loved, family (grandchildren), and the Peninsula.
In 1982 they "retired." This time Frances began caring for "older" people in their homes, until she was 75 years old. In 2002 George became very ill and bedridden for months. Frances took care of George until his death.
Frances was a skilled seamstress; sewing little dresses that were ruffled, embroidered and smocked. For herself she made stylish, tailored suits, dresses and a heavy, wool coat with bound buttonholes. She did all of this on a treadle sewing machine. Frances loved needlework including crocheting, embroidery, and knitting. She created beautiful doilies (one doily was 30 inches across with a 4-inch high ruffle). For her mother's table she created a 10-foot tablecloth with heavy satin embroidery done with rayon threads. Frances knit stocking caps for the chemo ward where her granddaughter was being treated. The caps were the perfect weight and warmth for the chemo "hairless" 'do and were always requested. The men in the chemo ward requested subdued colors as hot pink was not their style.
In 1992 their son, Mike, was killed in Alaska. This time Frances threw herself into growing flowers, nearly filling her large front yard. Tourists, hearing about this garden, would drive by for a "look-see." Anyone stopping to talk with her left with an armful of flowers. Every week she arranged about three bouquets to take to her church. These bouquets she gave to people with birthdays, anniversaries, or illness.
Frances was not afraid of hard work. She would meet work face on and dig right in, often she would find humor in the disagreeable. Comments one often heard her say were: "Come on, the day's wastin' away (at 6 a.m.)" or "If you don't use it, you'll lose it" and the ever favorite for the coast was "It's better to wear out than rust out." She set a high standard example that quite frankly on some days is unreachable.
Frances loved her Lord, family and life. Someone once said to her, "We love you, Frances, we just don't like your religion," to which she replied, "But you don't realize, my religion makes me the person I am."
She loved, was loved, and will be greatly missed.
Frances was preceded in death by her husband, George on Aug. 12, 2003; her son, Mike on Feb. 20, 1992; her granddaughter, Tami on July 20, 2004, and all of her brothers and sisters and their spouses, with the exception of her youngest brother's wife, Lenella Chellis (now husband, Mace Gay).
Frances is survived by her daughters, Mary Ellen Johnston and Judy (Ted) Linn; 10 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
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