Frances Anne North

Frances Anne North, 74, of Sullivan, MO, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 19, 2021 at her home, surrounded by her family.  

Frances was born in Houston, Texas, October 18, 1946, to Beovie and Evelyn (Trent) Bullard. She was raised throughout different areas in the south and attended elementary school and high school in Slidell, Louisiana. In 1965, she was united in marriage to Steve Crawford and to this union a son, Tony Crawford, was born. Steve and Frances later divorced. 

She moved to Missouri and married James Koch in 1969. To this union two daughters were born, Cassie and Kristy. They made their home in Sullivan and were very active in the town, school, and church. Sadly, James and Frances later divorced. 

Frances became a member of Temple Baptist Church and she loved all the activities. It was here that she began a 50-year friendship with her best friend, Bonnie. She taught several adult classes and she especially loved Vacation Bible School and teaching Teen College. She had a wonderful imagination and came up with many great ideas. One of her greatest talents was getting others involved in a project. In other words, her ideas, but other people did the work willingly and happily. While helping to organize a children’s Christmas program, she talked a man and a large group of the church teenagers, including all the football boys, to dress up as elves. She had decided she was going to give Temple Baptist Church a celebration like they had never seen before. When the program was over and people were getting up to leave, the elves burst into the auditorium and invited everyone to come downstairs to the fellowship hall, where the surprise was that it was decorated into a winter wonderland. Frances was on cloud nine and the party was a huge success. This was one of her most treasured memories. 

After several moves to other communities for new job opportunities, Frances found herself, once again, in Sullivan – where her desire was to be closer to her family. She married David North in 1993. Together, they blended their families, adding four children: Lisa, Laurie, Andy and Maria. 

Frances had several successful jobs in many different towns. She was committed whole heartedly to every job and rose quickly in the ranks of every company. She worked at the Sullivan High School for several years as a secretary. She was a KTUI on-air host in the ‘80s, owned her own real estate company, and worked for Reliable Life Insurance Company, where she did a lot of traveling. Lastly, she retired from Fish Window Cleaning in St. Louis. After retirement, she worked as a substitute teacher at Sullivan High School. She also volunteered at Ridgeway and some of her happiest moments were spent with the mentally and psychically challenged of this home. 

She was a career student. She loved the English language and it was a passion she shared with her sister, Sandy. She finally achieved her life goal and became a graduate from ECC in her 60s. 

Frances Anne had many stories to tell and enjoyed having fun. She was always the life of the party while including everyone in the party she was having. She was known for her quick wit, her infectious smile and her kind and compassionate spirit. She gave the residents of Sullivan a smile in the ‘80s when she was working at the radio station. Being in a small town like Sullivan, waking up to the radio was a normal, everyday thing. When residents woke one morning to tune in, there was silence. Frances had overslept. She awoke to her boss calling. This gave everyone a laugh for many years. Even in her last days, she was cracking jokes, trying to put a smile on everyone’s face. 

As for hobbies, she tried her hand at crochet, embroidery, painting and ceramics. One year, she and her daughter crocheted hats for the entire track team that her grandsons were on. In the past couple of years, her son and daughter-in-law helped her remodel and decorate a home that she purchased, and she loved every minute of it. She loved spending time and visiting with her brothers and sisters, who were very important to her. She remained very close to each and every one of them. Her real hobby, however, was chair sitting and video games. Frances loved the color yellow and especially yellow roses. 

Frances is survived by a son, Anthony Crawford and wife, Sue, of Sullivan, MO; a daughter, Cassie Robertson and husband, Kyle, of Sullivan, MO; four step-children: Laurie, Lisa, Andy and Maria North; four brothers: Timothy Bullard and wife, Connie, of CA, Jerome Bosworth of FL, Guy Bosworth and wife, Mary, of Atlanta, GA, and Teddy Bosworth of Atlanta, GA; three sisters: Sandra Bullard of Katy, TX, Faith Smith and husband, Bill, of MS, and Beverly Walker and husband, Wayne, of LA; six grandchildren: Nolan Crawford and wife, Tracy, Amanda Elliott and husband, Ray, Jason Robertson and wife, Amanda, Zachary, Chase and TJ Robertson; nine great-grandchildren: Kristy, Haley, Brooklyn and Myles Crawford, Gavin, Alexis, Eva and Eli Elliott, and Conner Robertson; and one step-granddaughter, Izzy North. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, David North; one daughter, Kristy Koch; her parents, Beovie and Evelyn Bullard; and her second husband, James Koch. 

Visitation was held from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m., Friday, February 26, 2021 at Eaton Funeral Home in Sullivan. 

A Memorial Service began at 3 p.m. Friday, February 26, 2021 at Eaton Funeral Home in Sullivan, with Pastor Scott Perry officiating. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Brain Tumor Association. https://www.abta.org/.

Friends may send online condolences to Frances’ family at www.eatonfuneralhome.com.

All arrangements were under the care of the Eaton Funeral Home and Cremation Center of Sullivan.