Frances Marie McReynolds, Burlington
1920 - 2008
Frances Marie McReynolds died Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008, at the Life Care Center in Burlington, where she lived since Dec. 28, 2003. She was 87.
Mrs. McReynolds worked at the Citizens State Bank in Gridley after high school graduation and before marriage. After her marriage, she helped her husband, Maurice, farm.
The daughter of Frank and Mary Brooks Birk, she was born Oct. 16, 1920, on the family farm one mile west of Gridley. She married Maurice Merle McReynolds on April 8, 1941, at Burlington. He survives. They moved to their farm home seven miles west of Burlington and lived there for more than 62 years until she moved to the Life Care Center. She always planted a large garden and canned, froze or preserved large quantities of vegetables and fruits for family and friends.
Mrs. McReynolds was a member of the Gridley United Methodist Church, where she also taught Sunday school, and a member of the United Methodist Women. She was a 67-year member of White Rose Chapter 297 of the Order of the Eastern Star at Gridley and a 25-year member of Erret Grange until it disbanded. As a member of the Bethel Ladies Aid, she helped make many quilts for her family and friends. She was a life member of the Coffey County Historical Society.
She is also survived by one son, Richard Lee McReynolds of Topeka; two daughters, Marilyn Jane Smith of Douglass and Jeanice Ann Shimon of Winfield; one brother, Glenn Birk of Gridley; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A sister, Helen McMullen; three brothers, Clarence Birk, Marion Birk and Robert Birk; and a grandson, Trevor Shimon, died earlier.
The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Jones Funeral Home in Burlington. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery at Burlington. The family will meet friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions to the church or the Coffey County Historical Society and Museum may be sent in care of the funeral home, P.O. Box 277, Burlington, KS 66839.