Frances Hoard Obituary
A graveside service will be held on Thursday, September 28, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery. 2003 Mt. Olivet Rd., Kalamazoo. Fran will be laid to rest with Ron and Jeanne. Memorial contributions may be made to Residential Opportunities, Inc. (ROI), in c/o the funeral home.
Age 89, passed away Saturday morning, September 23, 2023. Frances was born in Kalamazoo on August 21, 1934, the daughter of Ferd and Emma (Dhaenens) Lockwood. On May 9, 1953, she married Ronald Gene Hoard who preceded her in death on January 24, 2023. Fran graduated from Galesburg-Augusta High School in 1952. Nothing in life was more important to her than being a devoted wife and mother. She enjoyed knitting and crocheting. For over 60 years, she volunteered on several boards and committees to create housing and programs which served people with disabilities. Frances was a founding member of Residential Opportunities Inc. Frances was a force to be reckoned with in her work as an advocate for the disabled. In 2011, she and Ron received an award from Community Mental Health for their years of advocacy. Over the years, she also won awards from the Michigan. Special Olympics, Community Advocates and Residential Opportunities. Frances is survived by her daughter, Nancy Ann Hoard; several nieces and nephews; and countless friends. Besides her husband, Fran was preceded in death by her daughter Jeanne Lynn Hoard; her parents; sisters, Alma Louise Lockwood, Mary Mitchell, and Gertrude Lozon; brother, Eugene (Odette) Lockwood.
