Obituaries

Francille Riggins Seymour

Photo of Francille Riggins Seymour
Francille Seymour, age 101, died on September 9 in Hot Springs, Ark., where she had lived for the last six years at West Shores Retirement Center. She was raised in Buckner, Ark. and spent many of her adult years there in the family home during the summer break from teaching. She graduated from Stamps High School and Henderson State Teachers College, where she met Fletcher Fay Seymour. They married in August 1941 and spent 38 years in the teaching profession in Stamps, Pine Bluff, and Camden, Ark., before retiring to Hope, where she lived for 38 years. Francille was a strong Christian woman and a lifelong member of the Methodist Church. She was an officer in the Hope Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, and served as Regent in the Hope Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The DAR honored her by donating a tree to West Shores in honor of her 100th birthday. She was also a member of the Colonial Dames. Francille was a very social person, who loved to talk, and write letters. She loved being a teacher and enjoyed travelling after she retired. She particularly enjoyed going to Europe, the Holy Land, Africa, and Hawaii, Alaska and Guatemala and flying to see her family in Washington DC for Christmas. Her hobbies included China painting, knitting, crocheting, petit point, and other crafts and playing bridge with friends in Hope and other card games at her retirement place in Hot Springs. She had many friends. She was an important role model, not only for her family, but for the many children she taught. She was cheerful, outgoing and kind, with a good sense of humor. She always believed the best about people and encouraged them to do their best. Many happy times were spent at the Farm, Seymour Acres that she and Seymour owned outside of Fulton, Ark. She lived a good, long life, and loved all. Most of all, she was thankful for all God gave her. Francille is preceded in death by her parents, John and Laura Riggins, Her husband, F.F. Seymour, brothers, Col. Jack Riggins and Cmdr. Bill Riggins, sisters, Claudine Morgan and Dorothy Anne Landes, sister-in law, Lea Etta Sweatt, and son-in-law, Dr. Gary T. Elder. She is survived by her daughter, Sandy Seymour Elder, Chevy Chase, Md. and grandchildren, Ashley Cooper ( Dr.Mark) Kalamazoo Mich., and Blake Elder ( fiance'e, Sterling Neilson) of Washington DC; sister-in-law, Gloria Riggins of Hot Springs Ark., brother-in-law, Roy Seymour of Longview, Texas, and many nieces and nephews. There will be a Memorial service in Hot Springs, Ark. at West Shores 2607 Albert Pike, at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, September 22, 2017 and interment of ashes on Saturday, September 23, 2017 at Lakeside Cemetery, Stamps Arkansas 10 a.m. The Memorial service will be at the First Methodist Church, Hwy 29 South in Hope, Ark. at 1 p.m. In lieu of Flowers, donations may be made to the First united Methodist Church, P.O. Box 400, Hope, Ark., 71802 or to Arkansas Hospice, www.Arkansas Hospice.org. (501-748-3300). Online registration is available at www.aosmithfuneralhome .com.

Published September 20, 2017

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