Frances Banton Obituary

Frances Olene (Bridenstine) Banton, 83 years old, of Burns, passed away, surrounded by family on May 14, 2025, and is now rejoicing in heaven with her heavenly Father, friends and family who have gone before her.

Frances was born and raised near Cottage Grove, Ore. She met the love of her life, Tommy (Banton) in a PE class her freshman year. They were "studying" square dancing and their eyes met across the gym. Tommy came to ask her to be his partner, and that began a love and marriage too sweet to imagine.

Frances was always involved in some kind of ministry. Praying with a neighbor regularly, co-leading a high school group of precious teens; teaching elementary kids through Child Evangelism Fellowship; teaching "littles" in Sunday School; coaching kids in Awana's; leading Bible studies; and teaching at a small local Christian school. She had a giant box of children's Bibles that she loved to give to kids and new babies. She was a Court Appointed Special Advocate for children needing support in hard times and volunteered at the Thrift Shop.

Her first "official job" after marriage was working in a bakery. From there she and Tom ran the Sear's Catalog store in Lakeview. Growing restless, she divided the store building and created "Fran's Fabrics." She also worked to enable families in Lakeview to transition from wood to monitor stoves to help improve the air quality and sold ads for their local newspaper.

Fran was an avid library patron and a life-long learner and teacher. She passed on cooking, sewing, crocheting, gardening, and baking skills to her children and grandchildren. She passed on her love of Jesus to her family. She was silly, feisty, determined, loving and hardworking and raised her children and grandchildren to be the same.

She loved her family very much. Her husband of nearly 65 years: Thomas Alton Banton; children: Kathy (Yoshiaki) Takahashi; Kim (Ryu) Ichikawa; and Kris (Christi) Banton; and six precious grandchildren: Rachel (Anand Sastry) Takahashi, Lily (Nathan Reza) Takahashi; Dillon (Shealyne Peasley) Banton, Kiely (Brennan) Pilon, Mollie Banton, and Jun Ichikawa. She always had smiles and secret forehead kisses for her three great-granddaughters: Adelyn Pilon, Bexley Jo Pilon and Cori Banton. She is survived by her sister: Katie (Don) Millar and numerous precious nieces and nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Olaf Emmerson and Mary Frances Bridenstine; and her brother, Samuel Emmerson Bridenstine.

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