Obituary of Frances Eleanor Chaney

Frances Eleanor Chaney, age 92, passed on April 16, 2019 in Camas, WA.  She was born in Seattle to Helen and Frank Hodgetts.  Her family moved to Vancouver during WWII.  During the war she worked at the Vancouver Kaiser Shipyard as a riveter, building the war era ‘Victory Ships’.  She was a real life ‘Rosie the Riveter’ as depicted in the 1940s wartime posters.  

 

After the war she married Lester Chaney upon his return home from fighting in the Pacific Theatre. They started a family, eventually growing to five children by the mid-1950s.  Fran and Lester raised their children with love, emphasizing the importance of family.  She welcomed her children’s friends unconditionally as part of her own family.  Lester worked at ALCOA, while Fran helped make ends meet working as the first bookkeeper for Clark County ‘Head Start’.  Among many other accomplishments, Fran, with her best friend Pat Newton, became the first female Little League coaches for the Sifton baseball program in the mid-1950s.  They won the league championship in their second year.   As she grew older, Fran became an avid fan of the Trailblazers and Mariners, up until her last days. 

 

Fran’s family was her passion. Fran’s legacy is her unrivaled love and devotion to family and friends.  Fran always found joy in playing her organ. Singing and listening to music gave her much peace.

 

Frances is survived by her sister Joan Sargis, sons, Don Chaney (Linda), Steve Chaney (Carolyn), Dick Chaney (Mary), daughter Barbara and 9 grandchildren Brenda, David, Amanda, Nick, Skye, Frank, Kyla, Robbie, and Jackie and 11 great grandchildren.  Her husband and second born son Frank preceded her in death.

 

Graveside services were held on April 22, 12:00PM at Park Hill Cemetery (Sec P). Followed by a 1:30PM memorial service at LaCamas Lodge 227 NE Lake road, Camas WA. 

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