Frances Forsch

Tribute

Frances (Fran) Forsch died on October 8, 2026, surrounded by loved ones. She was a special mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to anyone she came in contact with. She was 92 years old and had lived a wonderful life; those are her words. She was born in Cody, WY, raised in Laramie, WY, but she always said she grew up in California when she and her husband, Fritz, moved in 1958 to start their life together and raise their children, Carol, Fred, and Rod. Fran graduated from the University of Wyoming in Physical Education. She and Fritz met at UW and were married in 1956. She taught P.E. in Laramie while Fritz finished college. Soon after, they moved to California, and Carol was born. Fran was a stay-at-home mom until Rod was in school. At the elementary school, she was helping teachers with mimeographing, and soon the principal offered her a paid job as Chief Mimeographer, which she took. After Rod was out of elementary school, she was offered a job at the church mimeographing, which soon became running the copier. When Carol went off to college, Fran took Carol’s job at Sunny Hills Pharmacy as Hallmark lady and clerk. She retired from Sunny Hills Pharmacy, where she was also doing the books and the front-end buying. During all this, she also taught swim lessons to babies and young kids in her backyard pool and for the YMCA. She was very involved with the kids as a Brownie leader, Girl Scout leader, Vacation Bible School planner, and leader. One summer she led Folk Dancing lessons for the library, and recruited her kids to demonstrate the dances. She drove us to our numerous swim meets, baseball games… She was in charge of our neighborhood 4th of July celebration; that celebration continues today. She loved throwing parties, not Martha Stewart style, more casual and comfortable. She threw pool parties at the end of the school year for each of our elementary school classes, a “Sing Along” caroling party every year at Christmas, and a huge Easter Egg hunt on Easter afternoon. Her home was always open. Hospitality was her talent. She was also very involved with the church and her P.E.O. chapters, QG and GU, knowing that education for women is very important to the world. Fran spent most of her adult life in California. She moved from her home in Fullerton to an independent living facility in Anaheim, then to Colorado to be closer to Carol in 2018. She battled breast cancer in 1981 but never considered herself a survivor or victim. It was what God put in front of her, so deal with it and live on. My father died when Mom was only 55 years old. She carried on and lived life with love, laughter, and happiness.

Friends & Family

Daughter, Carol Jones, and son-in-law Dale, Sons, Fred and Rod, and girlfriend Annette, Grandchildren: Nathan Jones and wife Megan, Kelsy Holmes and husband Jonathon, Francesco Forsch, Isabella Forsch, Burdette Forsch, Bonus son: Taft Clenney and wife Polly, his daughters Kaley, Paige, Many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and friends that were like family.