Frances "Fran" Dunn

She was born on the 28th of February 1933, to parents, Ruelle Hawkins and JD Holmes of Fort Worth. She graduated Paschal High School in 1951 where she was an honor student and excelled in French - so much so that she was recruited to join the United Nations in Canada as a French-speaking guide. She attended both Texas Weslayan College and TCU where she studied business. She worked as an executive assistant where she proved herself to be most efficient and accurate.

She met the love of her life, Bob Dunn, in February of 1954 and they were engaged on the 1st of April 1954. They set their wedding date for the 12th of June 1954, but decided in early May they could not wait to marry. So on the 5th of May 1954, they were married in Wichita Falls.

Fran always longed to be a teacher. In 1965, she returned to college at the University of Houston from where she graduated with honors, majoring in elementary education. During her time at the University of Houston, the entire Dunn family was in school as Bob was attending law school at South Texas College of Law. Every night was “homework” night around their small kitchen table.

Fran taught virtually every grade level in elementary school, first at Lovett Elementary and later at River Oaks Elementary. She loved “her student children” and many kept up with her well into their adult lives.

Fran and Bob quickly gravitated to Houston Bar Association service once Bob graduated law school and began his law practice. Bob served as President of the Houston Bar Association and later as President of the State Bar of Texas. Fran supported him in these endeavors but in her own right, served as President of the Houston Bar Association Auxiliary, President of the Texas Bar Auxiliary, and President of the American Lawyers’ Auxiliary.

Along the way after Fran retired from teaching, she became a Bayou Bend docent and was ultimately elected General Chair of the Bayou Bend Docent Organization. She served in numerous other volunteer roles with Bayou Bend along her 40-year tenure there.

For the last 60 years, she was a member of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church where she was in the Choir and served as Deacon, Elder, Trustee, Sunday school teacher, and Vacation Bible School teacher.

After losing her husband ten years ago, she moved to Holly Hall where she was a resident in Independent Living. She was serving as the President of Independent Living Residents at the time of her death. She made so many dear friends at Holly Hall and she enjoyed a return to her bridge games and attending music programs, book reviews, Bible studies and Sunday Chapel on the Holly Hall campus.

She was an amazing and supportive wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She beautifully embodied and modeled a Christian life well-lived and she was beloved by so many. She was a very pragmatic lady who always knew how to run an efficient meeting. She had a sixth sense on how to deal with difficult issues in a diplomatic and caring way.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband, Bob - they were married 58 years at the time of his death.

She is survived by her daughters, Amy Taylor and husband Robert, Beth Plummer and husband Jim; as well as her devoted and loving grandsons, Travis Plummer and wife Jessica, Chris Plummer, and Andrew Plummer and wife Heather. She is also survived by five extraordinary great-grandchildren, Ryker, Laurel, Lee, Luke, and Jack. Finally, she is survived by her longtime housekeeper and caregiver, Teresa Carranza whom she loved dearly.

The family thanks her amazing medical team at Methodist Hospital, Medical Clinic of Houston and Holly Hall Healthcare. The doctors, nurses and other caregivers have been incredibly remarkable healers to the degree possible. The family also thanks Houston Hospice for its role in her comfort during her final days.

A memorial service is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 15th of October, in the Dunbar-Chambers Memorial Chapel at Holly Hall, 2000 Holly Hall Street in Houston, where the Rev. Bill Newcomb and the Rev. Jim Gill are to officiate.

Immediately following all are invited to greet the family during a reception at Holly Hall.

Holly Hall welcomes in person, vaccinated and masked visitors who should check in at the main Lobby of Holly Hall. For those unable to attend at Holly Hall, you may join the livestream by visiting her online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and selecting the “Join Livestream” icon in the service information section (or at https://vimeo.com/event/2485577) as well as in the sanctuary at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 5308 Buffalo Speedway in Houston. While visiting her memorial tribute you may also take a moment to share fond memories and words of comfort and condolence with her family by selecting the “Add a Memory” icon.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in her name be directed to Holly Hall, 2000 Holly Hall Street, Houston, Texas 77054.