FRANCES MARY SUTTON (ROOKE)

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FRANCES MARY SUTTON (nee ROOKE) June 8, 1924 - June 23, 2014 It is with the deepest sadness that we say goodbye to our wonderful wife, mother and gran, Fran Sutton. Predeceased by her parents Victor and Lucy, and older brothers, Eric and Jim, she will be deeply missed by husband Robert, son Lloyd, daughter Elaine (Tim Kelly), grandson Riley Sutton, Riley's mother Andrea Newsom, sisters-in-law Leila Rooke, Hazel Sutton and in-laws Dick and Mary-Lou Sutton, all extended family, friends and special friends Carol and Ron Craig and Bev and Frank Kostiuk. Fran was born in 1924 on the Rooke farm outside Saltcoats, SK. She was one of the last of a generation of farm kids who went to school on horseback. Moving to Winnipeg, MB after high school, she began her career with the Great West Life Company. There she found a life-long friendship with co-worker Velma Smith and her sister, Olive. Concurrently she joined the parish and the choir of St. John's Cathedral Anglican Church where she met Bob (who sang bass). Sparks were flying across the choir stalls and Fran and Bob were married on June 3, 1950. Family life began with the arrival of Lloyd in 1955 and Elaine in 1957 and Fran dedicated herself to being the best Mom in the world. Always there with a smile, encouragement, a laugh or advice, she truly loved being Mom. A woman of broad interests, she enjoyed gardening, oil painting, piano playing, bowling, Scrabble, card games, needlework and especially her activities with her women's groups. She had a life-long dedication to the Church and her faith was ever present in her day to day life. She loved her summers at the beach, first Grand then Lester and had fond memories of her travels across Canada visiting family and friends and had an especially soft spot for the West Coast. The wild New Year's Party's of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s with family and friends will never be forgotten either. The family would like to thank the Grace Hospice staff and volunteers for the loving care she received during the last 20 months of her life, to her wonderful Oncologist, Dr. Pat Harris and special thanks to Dean Paul Johnson for his spiritual support and love. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. John's Cathedral, 135 Anderson Ave., Winnipeg, MB R2W 5M9; Grace Hospice care of Grace Hospital Foundation, 300 Booth Dr., Winnipeg, MB R3J 3M7, or a charity of choice. The funeral will take place at St John's Cathedral, with Dean Paul Johnson presiding, at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, June 28 with interment to follow. Cropo Funeral Chapel 204-586-8044

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 28, 2014