Frances Thomas Johnson

CAIRO, Ill. -- Frances Thomas Johnson, 97, of Chicago, formerly of Cairo, died Saturday, Sept. 7, 2002, at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, Ill.

She was born Aug. 11, 1905, in Wolf Lake, Mo., to David and Rena Thomas. She attended school in Charleston, Mo.

She was a member of the New Hope Freewill Baptist Church in Cairo, where she served on the usher board, the mother's board and the kitchen committee.

She first married Willie Vaughn Sr. in 1927. She later married Andrew Johnson.

She is survived by three sons, Herbert Hood of Cincinnati, Ohio, Willie Vaughn Jr. of Chicago, Walter R. Vaughn of Cincinnati; two daughters, Lenora Davis Irving and Dorothy Shumate, both of Chicago; 34 grandchildren, 104 great-grandchildren, 62 great-great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church in Cairo. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the church, with the Rev. Darryl K. Cox and the Rev. Paul Jones officiating. Burial will be in the Green Lawn Memorial Gardens in Villa Ridge, Ill.