Frances Jean Staley

Frances Jean Staley, age 87, died at her home on Nov. 21.

She was born in Little Falls, Minn., on Feb. 8, 1924, the daughter of Arvid and Nellie Anderson. She lived there until she graduated from high school. In 1942 her family moved to Portland, Ore., and she began nurses training in The Dalles, Ore.

She married Ernest Staley June 25, 1945, while he was serving in the U.S. Army.

In September 1945, she graduated from nurses training and joined her husband who was stationed in San Antonio, Texas. In 1946 they settled in Walla Walla. She did nursing at the V.A. Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital and The Blue Mountain Convalescent Center.

In 1975 they moved to Ritzville to establish an electrical business, Cascade Electric. Here she did part-time nursing and also kept books for the business. She was active in the Methodist church for many years in both Walla Walla and Ritzville. She was also a member of the alumni of The Dalles Hospital School of Nursing.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Ernest, at Evergreen Fountains in Spokane Valley; three children, Dennis (Dorothy) Staley of Tumwater, Robyn Hoekstra of Belfair and Kurt (Wanda) Staley of Ritzville; two grandsons, Chris (Karen) Hull of Ellensburg and Paul Staley (Elizabeth Rogers) of Federal Way; three great-grandchildren, Andrew and Melanie Hull and Ethan Staley.

Services will be held Monday, Nov. 28, 2011, at 1 p.m. at Spokane Valley Baptist Church, 1222 S. McDonald Road.