Frances Summers (Klecinsky) Harris
Frances Turner Summers (Klecinsky) Harris, 93, passed away with her family at her side at the Cooney Home in Helena on Sunday, Nov. 13, 2011.
Frances was born March 8, 1918 in Joliet, Montana, the only child of Jim Turner and Vanda Street Turner. When she was just a few months old, the family left Montana for Spokane and ultimately settled in the Kansas and Missouri area. As a young child she was known for her beautiful sewing and enjoyed this hobby until she could no longer see. She had a life-long passion for gardening and grew beautiful flowers wherever she lived.
Frankie, as she was known by many, married John Summers in 1936. They were young and adventuresome and as newlyweds packed up and moved to Great Falls, Montana. John worked at the Pioneer Dairy, and eventually they owned their own small farm. Together they had 4 children, William, Gary, Jon, and Shirley. John was drafted into the Army during World War II. While serving his country in Germany, he was killed in action on December 2, 1944, leaving Frankie with 4 small children to raise. For several months following his death Frankie found it necessary to work until the Government completed the paperwork for the family to receive GI benefits.
In 1949, she met and married Samuel T. Harris and the family moved to the Jefferson City area where Sam was a miner at the Golconda Mine. They later moved to the Mike Horse Mine near Lincoln and in 1951 moved to Helena where their daughter Joy was born. Sam died of a heart attack in 1956.
Frankie and Joy moved to Palm Springs, California in 1961 where she lived for 45 years. During this time she married Ed Klecinsky. That marriage dissolved a few years later.
She was an excellent dancer and could perform many acrobatic moves into her 70’s and 80’s. In later years she would delight her grandchildren by walking on her hands and dancing the Charleston.
She loved a good joke and was always eager to pass them along. It was amazing how she could remember them all! In her later years, suffering from dementia, she usually forgot either the middle or the end of the joke, but it didn’t matter – she laughed just the same.
Frankie worked intermittently for several movie stars – the most famous was Frank Sinatra. She loved telling stories about the people she met while working for him.
She was a long-time member of the Presbyterian Church in Cathedral City, California.
In 2006, after years of persuasion by her children, she moved to Montana to be near her children. Oh how she disliked the cold weather!
Preceeding her in death were her parents, her two husbands, her son Jon who was killed in the Vietnam War, and an infant grandson Gary Summers, Jr.
She is survived by her children William (Myrna) Summers, Gary (Cindy) Summers, and Shirley (Mike) Chovanak, all of the Helena area; and Joy (Doug) Gilford, of Sandy, Oregon. She is survived by nine grandchildren, Tim (Brenda) Chovanak, Kit Chovanak, and Adam (Mi) Chovanak all of the Seattle area; Courtney Chovanak Nicholls of Frisco TX, Casey Chovanak of Helena; Billy (Dee) Summers of Columbia Falls and Bob Summers of Helena; Jon Summers of Spokane, and Laurie Spears of Long Beach California, and 21 great-grandchildren.
A celebration of her life will be Saturday, November 19th at 2:00 p.m. at the Retz Chapel, 315 E. 6th Avenue, Helena. The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Cooney Home for their wonderful care of our mother and grandmother the past 3 years.
Memorials in her name may be made to the Lewis & Clark Humane Society, 1712 E. Custer Ave, Helena MT 59602, or a memorial of your choice. To offer a condolence or share a memory of Frances, please visit: www.retzfuneralhome.com.
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Pat and Amy Sassano says
We are thinking of you all. She sounds like she was an amazing lady and that there are many great memories to remind you daily of how amazing she was! You are in our prayers.
Debbie Harris Hamilton says
Bill & Lorena Harris were my parents…Loved Frances, going to her house to play with Joy….Linda Rae and I visited with Joy in Gresham,Or, in 2003 the year dad passed away….The Harris Kids, send you our love…Linda Rae, Debbie and Tom..thinking of you….