Frances Koller

Frances Koller November 13, 1921 – November 12, 2007 Frances Koller, 85, passed away at her residence November 12, 2007, following a long illness. Services for the family will be held at the Korean United Methodist Church formerly Service Memorial Methodist, 3600 Memorial Drive, at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, November 17, with Rev. Don Scott officiating. Visitation with the family will be at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home 6:00-7:30 p.m., Friday, November 16. Frances was born November 13, 1921, to Andrew Guthrie Johnson and Frances Lesta Sherrill Johnson in Rising Star, Texas. She was reared in Hurley, New Mexico, with four sisters and a brother. Her sister, Betty Gee, survives and lives in Ashland, Oregon. Frances attended Texas Normal School in Denton, where she received her teaching certificate. She joined the Women’s Army Corps in 1942, and her job was teaching literacy to new recruits. While stationed at Fort Wolters, near Mineral Wells, she met her husband, Robert Bob Koller. He was also a teacher and managed to get her attention by regularly taking her chalk. They fell in love and were married in El Paso in 1944. Frances and Bob moved to Waco and began to raise a family. Frances was an excellent seamstress and creative cook and was able to keep her husband and five children well dressed and well fed on a slim budget. During this time she also managed to take graduate courses at Baylor University. Her faith was her strength, and she was a tireless worker for her church. She worked as a secretary at the church and also taught at the Latin American Center as a kindergarten teacher. Later, she found much satisfaction working at Baylor’s Moody Library. After her retirement, she was happy to travel with her husband, whether by cruise ship, steamboat, bus, car, or just on foot to visit with friends at Wal-Mart. She was an exceptional wife and loved Bob faithfully for over 62 years and continued to love him after his death in 2006. She was a great Mom, the old-fashioned kind who was cook, taxi driver, nurse, entertainer, zoo-keeper, law-enforcer, cookie baker, teacher, mediator, and comforter. She shaped and encouraged her kids until the end. Dementia in all its forms is a cruel thief, robbing its victims of their skills, their memories, and their independence. However, it cannot take everything. Often what is left behind is what is best and essential in a person. We saw that in our Mom. As her illness increased, so did her sweetness, her gentleness, her kindness, her endurance, her dry wit, and her bright smile. She never forgot how to pray, or sing hymns or to say “I love you, Dear.” We loved her and always will. She will be missed by her children and friends. The family would like to express sincere thanks to Frances’ best friend and longtime neighbor, Marie Linder, for her daily encouraging visits. Special thanks also to Hillcrest Hospice for their dedication in caring for Frances this past year, and to Visiting Angels and many great helpers, especially Rosie, Mary and Yvonne. She is survived by her son, Frank Koller and wife, Barbara; four daughters, Andrea Johnson and husband, Jim; Deborah Collins; Barbara Fleeger and husband, John; and Fran Koller Norkiewicz and husband, Greg; ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Texas Senior Ministry Meals on Wheels and Hillcrest Hospice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our “Memorial Guestbook” at www.wilkirsonhatchbailey.com.