OBITUARY: Frances J. Karnes
Frances J. Karnes died March 30, 2013, after a sudden brief illness.
She was preceded in death by her husband Gratton F. "Papa" Karnes; parents Bennett and Mary Webber; brothers, Archie, Bill and Bob; and sister, Shirley. She is survived by her daughter, Sherry; granddaughter, Robbin Andrews; and four great-grandchildren, Jarred, Ashtyn, Gracelyn and Julianna.
Frankie was named by her father, Bennett, the moment she was born. Her mom named her Frances, but Bennett said, "No, her name is Frankie." And so she was Frankie for the next 80 years. She was a graduate of Galatia High School 1948. She worked at the movie theater in Galatia and the Fay's Cafe. She was also a proficient roller skater at the local roller rink. She and Gratton eloped on March 2, 1952, in Piggett, Ark., soon after Gratton returned from the Korean War.
Over the next 25 years she traveled to Germany and Europe and the United States with Gratton. They were stationed at Ft. Bliss, Texas, where she raised Sherry and held a job as bookkeeper and quarters inspector for low ranking Army personnel, while Gratton was deployed overseas multiple times.
She was very active with the youth bowling league at Center Lanes in Ft. Bliss and coached for many years kids that were from enlisted families all the way up to the general's kids. She coached the Senior Girls Team to the Texas State Championship. Frankie also competed in bowling in a few leagues around El Paso, Texas, also winning multiple WIBC team championships.
She also supported Sherry and her musician friends in their music endeavors. The family den was used for band rehearsals. She also hosted many backyard last minute cook outs with the neighborhood high school kids.
Frankie loved children and wanted to be surrounded by them and their energy. She remained active until Gratton retired and they moved back to Galatia. She worked as a bookkeeper for Galatia Elementary School, Tri-County Chemical Company and patient caretaker at Good Shepard Nursing Home.
Gratton and Frankie owned FJK Trucking Inc. having four semis on the road. She contracted with TVM of Ohio and B&W Cartage of Dexter, Mo., for many years until Gratton passed away in 2004. She then sold all assets and started enjoying her growing family of great-grandchildren.
In her later years, she was known to drive the members of our Amish Community in Galatia locally and to different parts of the country. She met so many new friends and came to love her Amish friends in the community. She was energetic, had a great sense of humor and was a loving friend, wife, mother, grandparent and great-grandparent.
She was a member of Union Chapel Presbyterian Church. She and Jarred went to church every Sunday since he was just a few weeks old.
Frankie aka "Nana" will be missed, but her energy and spirit will live on in her family. She loved everyone of them with all her heart.
Frankie is descendant of the Webber's of Galatia. She was the great-granddaughter of Lt. Elijah Monroe Webber, the granddaughter of Arch Webber.
Visitation will be 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, March 25, 2013, at Sloan Funeral Home. Services will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Interment will be at Raleigh Masonic Cemetery in Raleigh.