A Reflection on the Life of Frances Wilma Stapleton Carmean
Frances Wilma Stapleton, the youngest child of Ray Stapleton and Ethel Blackmer, was born at home a little after 9:00 on Thursday morning November 10, 1927.The family farm was located at 3085 West Barnes Lake Road, Columbiaville, Michigan.Frances was born in the same house where she lived most all of her life.She attended Sweet School about a mile east of the family farm until her graduation from the eighth grade in 1942.She worked on the family farm doing various chores helping with the planting and harvesting.She worked briefly at the Lapeer Fabricators and the Columbiaville Woolen Mill.She then worked as a housekeeper at the Barrett Hotel and the American Legion Children's Home.She went on to do private housekeeping near Flint, Michigan.While working in Flint, she met Bill Carmean whom she married on June 26, 1954 in Mount Morris, Michigan.Looking back, she said she didn't know him long enough or well enough before they got married.A month later she got pregnant, and in January she divorced him.On April 11, 1955, she gave birth to her only child--Jeffrey Thomas Carmean--whom she named after a radio show character, Jeffrey Carter, and her grandfather, Thomas Stapleton.She subsequently raised her son with the help of her parents with whom she resided.Her father, Ray Stapleton, died in 1960.She walked her son to the bus stop about a tenth of a mile from their home when he was small, and instilled him with lasting values.With her encouragement, he went on to become the first male recipient of the John Wesley Award in the Eastern Michigan District of the Wesleyan Church.The John Wesley Award was the highest honor bestowed in Christian Youth Crusaders.He also went on to graduate ninth in his senior class at North Branch High School in North Branch, Michigan.She sacrificed to send him to college while caring for her own aging mother who died in 1977.In 1975, her son graduated from United Wesleyan College in Allentown, Pennsylvania with an Associate in Science Degree in Christian Service.He then completed his Bachelor of Science Degree at Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan University) in Marion, Indiana.He graduated with a 3.82 GPA in 1977 with a major in Religion and a major in Psychology.He became a probation officer with the 71-A District Court in Lapeer, Michigan in 1980.After being laid off from that position in 1984, he became a substitute teacher.In 1998, he was hired as the In-School Suspension Supervisor at Lapeer West High School in Lapeer, Michigan.Frances was an awesome mother and a best friend to her only son, and he endeavored to be there for her and to support her too.She loved to play rummy, and no matter how often her son beat her she was always ready for another game.She also loved to crochet beautiful rose pot holders and do word searches.Frances always said she had a little angel looking out for her.She underwent numerous surgeries including tonsillectomy, gall bladder, broken neck, spinal, left and right cataract, left knee replacement, right hip replacement, right shoulder replacement, and spinal surgery again.She also had a minor stroke from which she fully recovered, a medication induced psychosis, and congestive heart failure.She lost several of her best friends--her beloved dogs Frisky, Muffy, Queenie, Tippy, Christy, and Nickie over a period of years, but still kept a positive attitude.Though life was rough for her, she continued to shine brightly.She was a fighter even throughout her final illness--a three month struggle following back surgery that included a major staph infection of the spine, emergency follow-up surgery, long-term vancomycin therapy, hemoglobin and cardiac problems, swallowing problems, lung congestion, pneumonia, and finally heart failure.She was a real survivor, and she fought the good fight.She had two goals during her final illness--she wanted to come home, and she wanted to go to church.She made it home on July 2nd where she spent the final nine days of her life with her son and her little dog Buffy.On July 11th, she went home to be with the Lord and has been attending church in heaven with her Redeemer ever since.She's waiting for us just beyond the chilly Jordon.Let's open our hearts to Christ, and accept Him as our Savior so we won't disappoint her when the roll is called up yonder.
The following is the obituary of Frances Carmean as compiled by her son and variously published in THE COUNTY PRESS and THE LA VIEW in Lapeer, Michigan:
Frances Carmean, 79, a lifetime resident of Columbiaville, passed away on Wednesday, July 11, 2007 at home with her son, in the same house where she was born.
She was born to the late Nelson Raymond and Ethel Eva (Blackmer) Stapleton on November 10, 1927, in Marathon Township, Lapeer County, Michigan.
Frances attended the Columbiaville United Methodist Church and enjoyed playing rummy, crocheting, and word search puzzles.
She is survived by her son, Jeffrey; brother-in-law, Milton Woodrow; sisters-in-law, Mable Stapleton, Pearl Blackmer; nieces and nephews, Marilyn Beard, Mark Woodrow, Gilbert Burn, Lois Seltzer, Judy Jenkins, Ernie Burns Jr., Monty Burns, Dennis Burns, Betty Stanfill, and Patty King.
She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings, Iva Woodrow, Edith Burns, Harold Stapleton, Homer Stapleton, Hilda Stapleton, and Elton Blackmer.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Visitation will take place 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, July 15, 2007 at Jansen Family Funeral Home, Columbiaville, Michigan.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, July 16, 2007 at the Columbiaville United Methodist Church. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
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Re: A Reflection on the Life of Frances Wilma Stapleton Carmean
Jeffrey Carmean 7/24/07