Frances Roberts

Frances Wood Roberts, beloved mother and grandmother, 82, of Jackson died Friday, Dec. 26, 2008, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

She was born May 4, 1926, in Wilson, Ark., daughter of John King and Edith Lillian Rapp Wood II. She and Richard Wesley Neal were married July 20, 1946, in Hernando, Miss. He died Feb. 24, 1967. She later married Jon E. Roberts on Jan. 8, 1968, in Cape Girardeau. He died March 1, 2005.

Frances grew up in Millington, Tenn., and graduated from Millington Central High School in 1944. She attended the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Miss.

She was employed as a proofreader for the Southeast Missourian, then worked for Sears in the accounting department and later was a secretary for MFA Insurance. She retired from Southeast Missouri State University in 1989 as manager of residence hall accounts.

She attended First Presbyterian Church of Jackson.

She is survived by two daughters, Julia (Bill) Davis of Jackson, Kathy (Russ) Alderman of Nokomis, Fla.; two sons, Richard (Sheryl) Neal of Amherst, N.Y., Sam (Sharon) Stausing of Union, Mo.; two brothers, John (Kay) Wood III of Memphis, Tenn., Leonard (Nona) Wood of Springfield, Va.; two sisters, Aileene Mayo of Alamo, Texas, Madolyn James of Memphis; nine grandchildren, Beth Davis of St. Louis, Katherine Davis, Joshua Davis and Claire Davis, all of Jackson, Dane (Julie) Stausing of Scott City, Dax Stausing of St. Louis, Trevor Floyd of Nokomis, Lee (Tressa) Floyd of Olive Branch, Miss., Travis (Siri) Floyd of Nokomis; five great-grandchildren, Michael Lee Floyd III, Jaden Davis, Rylee Floyd, Xander Stausing and Tabor Stausing.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husbands and a sister, Helen Wood Scott.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Grant Gillard officiating.

Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park in Cape Girardeau.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian of Jackson, 206 E. Washington St., Jackson, Mo. 63755.