Frances Burwell Jones was born August 21,1926 in Oberlin, Ohio to George Tallmon Jones and Mary Burwell Jones. She graduated from Oberlin College in 1948.
Her first marriage was to Andrew Jackson Whitaker on August 20, 1954 in Bellingham, WA. They divorced in 1958.
She joined University Friends Meeting (UFM) February 9,1963, transferring her membership from First Baptist Church, Centralia, WA.
Her second marriage was to Arnold Wester on May 10, 1964 under the care of UFM. Her stepchildren were Gary Arnold Wester and Kristine Alida Wester. Arnold Wester died July 3, 1972.
Fran worked in the office as Meeting secretary in the late 1960's and early '70's. She later worked at the Everett Community College library as a library technician.
She enjoyed square dancing, hiking, photography, and gardening.
She married Ralph Waldo Youatt of Marysville, WA on March 23,1974 under the care of UFM. They chose to be married in matching square dance outfits. They continued to wear the outfits for square dancing, something they both enjoyed.
In 1980, Fran withheld some of her income tax, contributing to UNICEF and the World Peace Tax Fund rather than war and sending a letter to the IRS explaining that she was opposed to war.
She kept in touch with her family in Ohio with regular letters and was famous in her family for her Christmas year-in-review mailings every year. Although she saw her family infrequently, she is remembered as a loving, interested family member.
She was active for a long time with the Everett Chapter of the Parkinson’s Disease Association.
Fran was a member of and clerked the UFM library committee for many years. She was very detail-oriented and dedicated to the UFM library.
In 1996, she moved to Bayview Manor in Seattle after Ralph died.
Her fourth marriage was to James Hain on February 13, 1999. They attended the Adult Religious Education sessions regularly. He died in 2006.
Fran was a quiet woman who didn’t talk about personal matters. Many Friends knew her, but didn’t know her well.
Fran developed Alzheimer’s disease at the end of her life. Friends mentioned that with this, she became more easy-going, and her sense of humor was more noticeable. She was accepting of her limitations; they didn’t seem to bother her. She lived in an adult family home at the end of her life and really enjoyed the family dog there.
She died July 13, 2012 in Seattle. She is survived by her younger sister, Margaret J. Doyle, and nieces Rebecca Doyle, Renata D. Greene, Johannah D. Curtis, and Sonja D. Doucette, three grandnephews and two grandnieces.
Approved, University Meeting, August 4, 2013