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Frances “Frankie” Turner Harris

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Birth	:	8 Mar 1918 Joliet, Carbon County, Montana, USA
Death	:	13 Nov 2011 Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, USA
Burial	:	Boulder Cemetery, Boulder, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate	:	46.2393990, -112.1074982
Description	:	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, the only child of Jim Turner and Vanda Street Turner. When she was just a few months old, the family left Montana for Spokane, Wash., and ultimately settled in the Kansas and Missouri area. As a young child she was known for her beautiful sewing, and she enjoyed this hobby until she could no longer see. She had a lifelong passion for gardening and grew beautiful flowers wherever... Read More	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, the only child of Jim Turner and Vanda Street Turner. When she was just a few months old, the family left Montana for Spokane, Wash., and ultimately settled in the Kansas and Missouri area. As a young child she was known for her beautiful sewing, and she enjoyed this hobby until she could no longer see. She had a lifelong 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. John worked at the Pioneer Dairy, and eventually they owned their own small farm. Together they had four 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 Dec. 2, 1944, leaving Frankie with four 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, Calif., 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 70s and 80s. 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 longtime member of the Presbyterian Church in Cathedral City, Calif. 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, Ore. 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 Texas, 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, Calif.; and 21 great-grandchildren. A celebration of her life will be Saturday, Nov. 19, at 2 p.m. at the Retz Chapel, 315 E. 6th Ave., 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 three 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 condolences or share a memory of Frances, please visit: www.retzfuneralhome.com.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Frances “Frankie” Turner Harris's memorial?
Frances “Frankie” Turner Harris's memorial is located at: Boulder Cemetery, Boulder, Jefferson County, USA.
When did Frances “Frankie” Turner Harris death?
Frances “Frankie” Turner Harris death on 13 Nov 2011 in Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Frances “Frankie” Turner Harris's memorial?
Latitude: 46.2393990
Longitude: -112.1074982

Family Members:

Spouse

Sgt Samuel T. Harris

(1907 - 1956)

Children

Jon Ray Summers

(1939 - 1969)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Boulder Cemetery
Boulder, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 46.2393990, -112.1074982

2. Rainville Memorial Cemetery
Basin, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 46.2736630, -112.2514180

3. Elkhorn Cemetery
Elkhorn, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 46.2683450, -111.9480010

4. Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church Cemetery
Boulder, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 46.1234000, -111.9505000

5. Jefferson City Cemetery
Jefferson City, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 46.3913000, -112.0308000

6. John Montgomery Gravesite
Unionville, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5170000, -112.0845000

7. Old Whitehall Cemetery
Whitehall, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 45.9077988, -112.1038971

8. Turner Cemetery
Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5306015, -111.8486023

9. Old Catholic Cemetery
Helena, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5779120, -112.0183220

10. Plymouth Congregational Church Columbarium
Helena, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5804000, -112.0109000

11. Parker Cemetery
Broadwater County, USA
Coordinate: 46.1760000, -111.6130000

12. Radersburg Cemetery
Radersburg, Broadwater County, USA
Coordinate: 46.1765990, -111.6126290

13. City Cemetery (Defunct)
Helena, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5896660, -112.0360010

14. Cathedral of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
Helena, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5902550, -112.0339480

15. Saint Peters Episcopal Cathedral Columbarium
Helena, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5925598, -112.0400925

16. Potters Field
Butte, Silver Bow County, USA
Coordinate: 45.9894470, -112.4773280

17. Macomber Field Cemetery
Radersburg, Broadwater County, USA
Coordinate: 46.1744100, -111.5986100

18. Calvary Cemetery
Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5997009, -112.0714035

19. Old Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery
Helena, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5958150, -112.0105560

20. Charity Jane Dillon Gravesite
Townsend, Broadwater County, USA
Coordinate: 46.2947200, -111.5875770

21. Benton Avenue Cemetery
Helena, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.6045265, -112.0415497

22. Whitehall Cemetery
Whitehall, Jefferson County, USA
Coordinate: 45.8716050, -112.0875190

23. Saint Anns Cemetery
East Helena, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.5867004, -111.9013977

24. Montana State Veterans Cemetery
Helena, Lewis and Clark County, USA
Coordinate: 46.6151886, -112.0993042