Frances Ann Hickman

Frances Hickman, “Shanee,” peacefully passed away October 19th in Granville, Ohio where she had moved in 2006 to be near her daughter and family.         

Frances was born October 28, 1927 in Sharon, PA. to the late George and Frances Christy. She graduated from high school there and continued her education at Carnegie Mellon University, earning a bachelor’s degree in education. She later received a master’s degree from Rutgers University. She married Leland Hickman in 1956 and they moved to Westfield, New Jersey in 1958.  Frances lived there and taught home economics in North Plainfield, NJ, for the next fifty years.

A wide range of interests including: theater, extensive worldwide travel, entertaining, gourmet cooking, and gardening were Fran’s passions. She also kept up with all the latest trends in fashion and design. Her diverse life is best described by the trio of names she known. Her given name, Frances, is what this well-mannered, gracious lady was called by acquaintances.  Her teaching peers enjoyed a closer relationship and shortened her name to the work day Fran.  A long-ago childhood cousin who couldn’t pronounce Frances Ann, anointed her as Shanee, and family and friends have called her the same ever since.  It’s an apt name:  Shanee is difficult to say without smiling. 

In addition to her parents, Frances was preceded in death by her husband Leland Morris Hickman and brother George Vernon Christy.

Surviving are her daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Bruce Westall; her beloved granddaughter, Paige McCall; sister, Margaret Ward; in-laws Jim and Jane Ann Bobbitt, and her devoted caregiver, Nellie Workman.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, October 25th at Maple Grove Cemetery in Granville with Rev. Dr. Stephen H. Applegate as celebrant. A reception will follow in St. Luke’s Church undercroft from 3 to 5 P.M. at 107 E. Broadway, Granville.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Central Ohio, 1379 Dublin Rd., Columbus, OH  43215.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.mcpeekhoekstra.com.

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