Frances Lester

December 10, 1923 – January 1, 2017

Frances Lester, 93, longtime Moses Lake resident, died Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017 in Columbia Crest Rehabilitation Center surrounded by her beloved family. Frances was born Dec. 10, 1923 in Prosser, Wash. to Frank and Falisatia Gress, the fifth child out of seven siblings.

Frances grew up in Prosser, Wash. and then moved to Spokane to attend beauty school, living with her sister Barbara and husband Ernie. Following beauty school she returned to Prosser to care for her mother. She attended a Saturday night dance where she met a young Navy guy, Allen Clark Lester, who soon became her husband. They settled in Prosser and had two sons, Gerry and John. The young family then moved to Moses Lake in 1954 and had their third child, Michele.

Fran was a stay-at-home mom where she honed her cooking and baking skills, becoming an extraordinary domestic goddess. When Michele started high school, she decided it was time to enter the workforce and worked at Carnation Inc. from 1970 to 1987.

She was a devout Catholic and member of Our Lady of Fatima where she was involved in the Altar Society and other ministries until she was unable to get out and about. Mom and Dad loved the outdoors and enjoyed many camping trips to the mountains and lakes throughout Washington with their children and grandkids. Many family trips were driven to Georgia over the years to visit family. Frances was loved and cherished by all of her grandchildren (10) and great grandchildren (14). She loved teasing them as much as they loved teasing her. She was mom to many and loved by all. If you remember only a few things about our mom, we hope it would be that she was a very faithful woman who didn’t leave her room without her hair done, lipstick and pearls on, and always a smile on her face.

Frances is survived by her son John (Marion) Lester and Michele (Lind) Bingham all of Moses Lake; grandchildren Jim (Cheryl), Sam (Hilary), Becky (Josh), Laura, Heather, Lee, Julio, Ryan (Cristie) and Lindsey (Gilbert) and 14 great-grandchildren.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Falisatia Gress, brothers Dan, John and Eugene; sisters Barbara, Cecilia, Clementine and Teresa; husband Allen and son Gerald Lester.

The family would like to thank all those that cared for our mom over the past few years when she was unable to live on her own. A special thank you to the nurses and doctors taking care of her at the hospital the last week and a huge thank you to the aides, nurses and all the workers at Columbia Crest.

Recitation of the Holy Rosary will be held at 9:30 a.m. with the Memorial Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10 a.m., Friday, Jan. 6, 2017 in Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, 200 N. Dale Rd., Moses Lake. Interment will immediately follow the Mass in the church columbarium. You are invited to join the family for a luncheon provided in the Fatima Center (CCD Center) adjacent to the church.

Please visit www.kayerschapel.com to leave a note or message for Frances’ family and sign the online guestbook. Arrangements are in care of Kayser’s Chapel & Crematory.

In lieu of flowers a donation to Our Lady of Fatima building fund would be her wish.