Frances Elaine O'Steen

Frances Elaine Green O’Steen (89), passed away surrounded by family on December 23, 2020. She was born on January 29, 1931 to Marie and Evans Green. She was born in what was then known as South Jacksonville, and spent her adult years in the Mandarin area. She was lovingly married to Chester O’Steen for 55 years, until his death in 2005. She fondly remembered how handsome he was in his army uniform when she first saw him in her neighborhood, and they were together ever since.

She was a sharp-witted, ambitious young lady. Her determination and achievements at Landon High School, led her to be recommended to start a bookkeeping program. She began an entry-level position at Florida National Bank, where she ultimately was promoted to Vice President of Trust Operations, where she spent her remaining career. She was a role model for many women in her life, as she never let her gender affect how successful she could be in the business world, even at a time when it wasn’t commonly accepted to do so. Frances’ husband, Chester, had an accident that left him as a double amputee, and she never hesitated to do her part to provide for him and her two daughters, Karen and Cindy.

Frances was a loving daughter, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was affectionately known as Mimi to all those that loved her. She was intelligent and had an affinity for numbers. She loved spending time in nature, admiring wildlife. She believed strongly in her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and was a member of Grace Community Church, where she had many close friends.

Frances didn’t value material things. To her, the most important thing was to spend time with family and friends. Being born during the Great Depression, Frances knew how to stretch a dollar, and this is something she carried with her throughout her life. She never wanted to spend money on herself, but her generosity was abundant with her family. If one child or grandchild needed something, she was sure to give the same amount to each one, because she never wanted them to feel like she favored one over the other. Her home was always open to her many friends, friends of her children and neighbors, and she had a special place in her heart for them.

She was creative and good with her hands. She sewed clothes for her daughters, costumes for her grandchildren, and most everyone in her life has an afghan blanket that she crocheted for them. She also crocheted lap blankets that she donated to nursing homes, as well as hats and blankets that she donated for newborn babies. She had a green thumb and could go from working at the bank, to working on the tractor at her property. She was independent and determined to say the least, and it took much convincing in her later years to get her to slow down and stop using her heavy machinery. She loved watching football and was a die-hard Florida State fan, until later in life when her granddaughter went to the University of Florida, and she began to cheer for both teams.

Frances was cut from a cloth that was ahead of her time, yet at the same time, carried values from an earlier era that today’s world could use more of. She was loving, fair, kind, didn’t shy away from hard work, charitable, honest and had no problem standing up for herself and those that she loved. She was an exemplary human being. She will be deeply missed, but her memory will continue on in her family and those whose lives she touched and will continue to be a guiding light for them.

She was predeceased by her husband Chester O’Steen and her parents Marie and Evans Green, and is survived by her daughters Karen Cariveau and Cindy (Jeff) Cohen, grandchildren Chet Cariveau, Lorissa Cariveau, Eric Cohen and Cara (Zachary) Cohen, great- grandchildren Joey Donelson, Sunny Cariveau and Joseph Cariveau, sister Annette (Henry) Haskins, aunt Mary (Albert) Kinard, her close aunt and friend, Myrta Moore, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Salvation Army.