Frances M. Hill
May 24, 1929 ~ February 28, 2019
Resided in:
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville Butterfly TrailFrances (“Frannie”) Shand Masterman Hill, 89, of Givens Estates, died February 28, 2019 at her residence.
A native of Menominee, Michigan, Frannie was the daughter of the late Walter and Frances Schwartz Henes. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Charles Shand; her second husband, William (Bill) Masterman; sister Joan Sexmith and son-in-law Mike Bowling.
Frannie is survived by her loving husband, Dr. Ted Hill; daughters, Eadie Bratcher (Jack) of Overland Park KS, Cindy Bowling of Ada OK, Carolyn Shand-Hawkins of Ozark MO, and Roberta O’Brien of Springfield MO; sons, Chip Shand (Pat) of Falls Church VA and Tom Shand (Cathy) of Springfield MO; brother, Walter Henes (Lynne) of Cortez CO; as well as sixteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
After graduating from Dana Hall in Wellesley, MA, she attended Smith College in Northampton, MA. She then married Charles and raised their family in Springfield, Missouri. Wanting to complete the degree she started before child-raising, she went back to school and earned her degree in accounting at Southwest Missouri State University at age 49.
After caring for her mother in Michigan, Frannie relocated to North Carolina where she found love again, marrying Bill and later Ted.
Frannie was an outdoor enthusiast with an adventurous spirit who loved hiking in the woods, water skiing, canoeing and all types of outdoor activities. She never outgrew the enjoyment of traveling and exploring new places. Sunday afternoons were scheduled around Green Bay Packers football games and she watched as many UNC basketball games as possible.
Frannie will always be known as a life-long learner, forever seeking additional knowledge and new experiences. Along the way, she brought love and happiness to everyone she met. Mom was the best mother anyone could hope for. We love her greatly and she is forever in our hearts.
A service to celebrate her life will be held in the spring at Givens Estates in Asheville, NC.
In lieu of flowers, the family graciously asks that contributions may be made in her memory to either the Western Carolina Rescue Ministries, PO Box 909, Asheville, NC 28802 (www.westerncarolinarescue.org) or the Resident Assistance Fund at Givens Estates, Attn: Memorials, 2360 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville, NC 28803.
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC is assisting the family.
Thank you for being our mother. You are forever in our hearts.
Ted and Family,
Marian and I are saddened to learn of your loss of Frannie. We will still have good memories of our dinner conversations at the Bistro. Best wishes in these difficult times.
I always enjoyed seeing Frannie. Her smile was a reminder that no matter what was going on, life was good and to be enjoyed. In 2005, we both moved onto the same street in Givens Estates. I often passed her, trekking poles in hand, going home after her exercise class. She was an exemplar of aging with grace and with determination to keep on keeping on. Every blessing to her family! Frannie leaves you a wonderful legacy of warmth, gentle humor, trust in God’s goodness, and humility. I understand why you said, ‘Mom was the best mother anyone could hope for.’