Mary Frances Harden Evans was born in Water Valley, Texas on June 24, 1918 and passed away in Sugar Land, Texas on October 5, 2014.

Frances was an active and dedicated member of the church of Christ since 1932. Frances was an elementary school teacher during the 1940's, and then she began the happiest years of her life when she became a wife to her husband, Hershal, and then a mother to her three beloved children. She was married to her husband for 50 years until his death in August 1994. She loved all her extended family as well; the reunions and special occasions that brought them together for fellowship and good times were especially meaningful to her. Frances was extremely talented in the kitchen providing excellent home cooked meals throughout her married life. She also was quite skilled at sewing and quilting which she enjoyed throughout her life. Frances was also a talented horticulturalist with a particular knack for nurturing plants and flowers in her garden. One of her favorite pastimes was enjoying good movies that told interesting and informative stories.

Frances lived for many years in the piney woods of East Texas before relocating to Sweeny, Texas where she has resided for the past 43 years.

She was preceded in death by her father and mother, Charles and Geneva Harden; sisters, Charlene, Esther, Betty; brother, Thaylor Harden; and husband, Hershal Evans.

Frances is survived by her brother, Philip (Barbara) Harden; her three children, Michael Evans, Nancy Denty and Melinda (Steve) Laman; grandchildren Brad Evans, Aaron Evans, Lauren Laman, Joanna Meeks and Evan Laman along with 6 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service commemorating her life will be held at the Sweeny church of Christ on Wednesday, October 8, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. which will be preceded by a visitation period which will begin at 10:00 a.m. A graveside service will be conducted on Saturday, October 11, at 2:00 p.m. at the New Salem Cemetery, New Salem, Texas.

Honorary pallbearers will be Brad Evans, Aaron Evans, Evan Laman, Allan Meeks, Dustin Matthews and Steve Laman.

The family would like to acknowledge with heartfelt gratitude and appreciation the excellent care provided to Mrs. Evans during her recent illness by the doctors and associated health care professionals at the 1) Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, 2) the Advanced Wound Care Clinic within that hospital and 3) the South Texas Vascular Center, Sugar Land, Texas. The family would also like to thank Angels Care Home Health, Bay City, Texas for the supportive care they provided to Mrs. Evans in her home during this same period.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Frances' name may be made to a charity of one's choice, or to the Bandina Christian Youth Camp.