Frances Kirkland

Frances Kirkland, 81, of Hewitt, peacefully departed the loving embraces of her family into the arms of Jesus late Friday evening, May 25, 2018. A celebration of her life and love will be 11:00 am on Thursday, May 31, 2018 with Howard Gruetzner leading the funeral service at Grace Gardens Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will be at 3:00pm, Oakwood Cemetery in Hamilton, Texas. A visitation with the family will be at 10:00 am, Thursday, May 31, 2018 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home.

She was born January 24, 1937 in Hamilton County, Texas to Richard Louis and Sibyl Louise Livingston Kruger. She was the eldest of three children born to this family. She attended school in the Jonesboro and Hamilton communities. She married Bobby Joe Kirkland on May 30, 1953 and was a stay-at-home mother to their four children. The family moved to Waco in 1970, when Bobby joined the Waco Fire Department. After raising her children, she also worked in Waco area convenience stores and Allergan in Waco and Round Rock.

Frances used her artistic talents to sew, decorate cakes, and decorate her home. She enjoyed gardening in her younger years and always had many beautiful varieties of flowers growing in her yard. She had a most tender heart for animals, having had many pets throughout her life. Her cats, Barney and Charlie provided comfort and company the last years of her life. Most importantly, she lived, laughed, and loved with her family. She was Mom and Mama to her children, and Mama K and KK to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will always be remembered for facing all the twists and turns of life with grace and dignity.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, John Louis Kruger, and grandson, David Shane Conner.

She is survived by her sister, Loraine and Gary Coston; sister-in-law, Jamie Kruger; her four children, Ginger and Howard Gruetzner, David Kirkland, Sharon Shelton, and Debra Kirkland; four grandchildren, Corbet and Timberly Conner, Ginny and Jessie Sumpter, Jason and Jodi Williams, and Clay and Catherine Gruetzner; and fourteen great grand children, Jennah and Rachel Conner, Darielle, Sahara, and Joseph Flores, Sarah, Emily, Dylan, and Kailey Sumpter, Cohen and Lanie Williams, and Tag, AJ, and Meg Gruetzner.

The family thanks all our friends and families for your love and prayers. As always, we have been blessed with the love of Robert and Rebecca Blankenstein (Debra's caretakers). Through Debra, we are family and they have always "been there" for us through the years.

Special thanks also to Regent Care staff (especially Donna, Nell, Ashley, Michelle, Crystal, and the Therapy Department) and Kindred Hospice.