Frances Caroline Giffey

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Frances Caroline Giffey passed away Oct. 6, 2018, at Olympic Healthcare Services in Centralia Wash. A celebration of life service will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, at 1 p.m., with reception at Jeremy’s Farm to Table from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Frances was born to Cassius and Jennie Heldt Lawson in a farmhouse outside Fairmont, N.D., during a blizzard Feb. 14, 1923.  Early in her life, her family moved to Goldendale, Wash. The attributes and many tales of growing up in Goldendale were well known to her family and friends. Her father operated a planing  mill to provide for the family which included older sister Marguerite, older brother, Howard and younger brother, Arthur. The details how everyone in Lawson family helped to survive the Great Depression were also revisited. The hills and mountains of the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge were cherished by Frances. After graduating from Goldendale High school in 1941, Frances attended Washington State College in Pullman, earning a bachelor’s of arts with high honors in sociology in 1945. While the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States entering World War II definitely changed her expected college experiences, which she had learned about from Marguerite, she still became a lifelong Coug!  For summer employment to help pay for college, Frances worked at a cut off saw station in a saw mill making boards for ammunition boxes.

After graduation, Frances worked  for Washington State Child Welfare Services stationed in the City Hall of Chehalis. She received a grant to attend graduate school at the University of Washington just as she met Captain Lee Giffey in 1946, after he was discharged from the Army Air Corps. They were married in 1950.  Together, they operated Giffey Hardware,  started by Lee’s father, for  33 years until his death 1985.  Fran loved her family dearly;  daughter, Carol Rae and son-in-law, Larry Haney; son, Mark Lee and daughter-in-law, Cheryl; granddaughters, Kelly Donice and Lindsey Lee; and her Lawson family nieces and nephews.

After a few years of marriage, Frances retired from working for the Washington State Child Welfare Services to concentrate on her young family and  Giffey Hardware.  Landscaping, gardening and extensively  remodeling the  farmhouse  that Lee and Fran purchased shortly after being married brought her much enjoyment over the years of their marriage.  She volunteered in many different ways for her community. She particularly enjoyed supporting efforts serving children including; Westminster Presbyterian Church, Brownies, Candle Lighters, Head Start, Title Reading, Lewis County Superior Court Guardian Ad litem, Adaline  Coffman Guild and Providence Hospital Foundation Festival of Trees “ Mrs. Pockets.” Community groups memberships included PEO and the St. Helens Club.

The family would like to extend their thanks for the care Fran received while residing  at Chehalis West Assisted Living and Olympic Healthcare Services.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Westminster Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 710, Chehalis, WA 98532 or any children’s benevolence group.