Virginia Frances Watson Clark (Frances) VICTOR – Virginia Frances Watson Clark (Frances), 80, died peacefully on September 29, 2018 at Saint Patrick Hospital in Missoula, Montana. She was surrounded by her loving husband and family. She was born on November 25, 1937 to William Franklin Watson and Attie Effingham Courtney in King and Queen County in Ino, Virginia.
Frances grew up on a working farm and attended Center Cross Elementary School. She obtained her first business skills by helping her mother run the family store and post office. She maintained many of the friendships formed in Ino up until the time of her death.
Her family moved to Fox Hill, Virginia so her mother could teach school and her father could fish commercially. She attended Buckroe Junior High where she met her future husband, William (Bill) Clark. They attended high school as sweethearts and enjoyed fishing, swimming and barbecues at Grandview Beach and bull frogging on the Chickahominy River or sometimes just sitting on the porch swing in the cool of the evening.
They graduated from Hampton High School in 1955. A top student in her class, Frances attended Longwood Women’s College in Farmville, Virginia. On August 17, 1956, Bill and Frances were married in The Central Methodist Church in Fox Hill, Virginia.
Frances then attended Hampton Roads Business College earning a stenographer diploma. She obtained a job at the tactical air command headquarters at Langley Field as a colonel’s secretary, while Bill was stationed at the United States Continental Army Command Headquarters at Fort Monroe. She moved to Germany with Bill when he was transferred there.
Bill and Frances returned state side to Fort Eustis and Bill was honorably discharged. They then had two daughters. In 1961, the family moved to Montana traveling around the state where Bill worked heavy construction and Frances was a housewife and mother.
They moved their trailer from job to job around Montana, eventually building their own home in Victor and settling down in one place so their daughters could attend school. A third daughter, Bonnie, was born and the couple started their own company with Bill’s brother, Clark Brothers Contracting. Frances worked for the company as a job costing accountant, stenographer and bookkeeper.
At the time of her death, Frances was currently working as a realtor and as a bookkeeper for their current construction company, Ajax Contracting. Frances enjoyed church activities, entertaining friends and family, playing cards, fishing, gardening and attending her children’s, grandchildren’s and great grandchildren’s athletic events. She was an avid fan and supporter of Victor School.
She also enjoyed spending time with her family, especially at their vacation home on the Hirschy Ranch in the Big Hole of Montana. She was preceded in death by her mother, father and two brothers. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, William (Bill) Johnson Clark, 3 daughters, Belle Burrington (Kris), Ellen Kittel (David), Bonnie Taylor (Rick), all of Victor, Montana and Rolland “Babe” Schrader (Ilene) of Grantsdale, Montana who was raised as a son by Bill and Frances; 7 grandchildren, Michelle Hoffman (Rich), Lindsey Gensemer (Corey), Amanda Lesnik (Drew), Kristen Hansen (Kiel), Eric Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Matthew Kittel and 7 great grandchildren, as well as several nephews and nieces.
Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton, Montana will hold a public viewing on Thursday, October 4 from 7:00-9:00 pm. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Victor Community Church on Friday, October 5 at 11:00 am with a luncheon to follow at the Neely Center in Victor. Donations may be made to Victor Community Church, The Bitterroot Church of the Nazarene or Victor School Athletics in honor of Frances.
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