Frances L True

Fran True was born Frances Lida Hoydar to Albert and Mary (Epperson) Hoydar on Aug. 2, 1926 in Clay Center, Nebraska. She and her family endured the Dust Bowl until Fran was in the third grade and a relative encouraged them to head west. They landed in Selah, Washington, and Fran recalled navigating the Great Depression by plucking chickens for her mom, helping in their family’s florist shop and generally making much from little.

Fran was active in Campfire Girls and drama in high school and received her teaching degree from Central Washington College of Education (now Central Washington University) in Ellensburg. She studied art and produced beautiful weavings, pottery, drawings, prints and metal work. Fran found ways to bring beauty to the world through art her entire life.

A born teacher, she worked at elementary schools in Puyallup, Washington and California, until she learned of an opportunity to travel to Europe to teach the children of officers on U.S. army bases, which she did in the mid-1950s in England and Germany. During this time, she spent weekends train-trekking all over Europe and beyond, photographing the sights as far as Egypt and Jordan. She passed along this love of travel to her children and continued to explore the world into her 80s.

She met Earl True through friends, and in 1958 they were married in Yakima. The newlyweds lived in Lynnwood, Washington, and Fran taught school in Bothell before they moved to Portland, Oregon. They raised two girls in Beaverton, Oregon, where Fran shared her leadership skills at Valley Community Presbyterian Church, and as a Campfire group leader, summer camp coordinator and candy sale manager.

Fran had an enduring faith in God and was sustained by the social and spiritual community of church throughout her life. She loved to sing and play games and shared her love of the outdoors by taking her kids on creek walks, to lakes and to the family’s beloved Oregon Coast, where they would spend a week every summer reveling in beach walks (Fran always found the biggest agates!), wave-jumping, sand-castle making, s’mores around the fire and games with good friends.

She channeled her artistic flair into beautiful sewing projects and kept her two girls (and later her granddaughter, who brought her great joy) dressed in style with her creations. Fran was a lifelong learner, and in her later years, she took up watercolor painting, and produced some masterful Oregon landscapes.

After spending many happy retirement years in Fairway Village in Vancouver, Washington, in 2010, Fran and Earl moved to a condo at The Kenney retirement community in West Seattle, to be closer to family. She loved taking walks to Lincoln Park, helping Earl tend his small garden and loved the time with her kids and granddaughter.

Fran had a ready smile for everyone and was a dependable good neighbor and friend. Though she suffered from macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s, she faced the challenges of aging with her signature stoicism and grace.

Fran was preceded in death by her sister, Mary Elizabeth Weed, and brother, Charles Hoydar. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Earl, her daughters, Kathryn (John Koriath) and Carolyn (Aaron Bueler) and granddaughter, Alex Koriath, in addition to her foster brother, Jim McClure, his wife, Janet, and a niece, many nephews, and their children and grandchildren.

Fran lived the values of kindness, loyalty, respect and caring. Through her last day, she had concern for others and always thanked her care providers and family for simple kindnesses. The world has lost a bright light and we miss our wife, mom, grandma, sister, aunt and friend. If you would like to make a gift in her honor, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org).