Memorials

Esther Christina Frank, 94, formerly of Columbia City, died at 2:45 p.m. Friday, January 16, 2009 at the Towne House, Fort Wayne, where she had been a resident since April 2002.
She was born August 19, 1914 in Los Angeles, California, the only child of Joseph and Jessie (Stout) Stephens. Her formative years were spent in Oregon and California. She graduated from Redondo Union High School in 1932, attended Los Angeles Junior College in 1933 and graduated from Bethany Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago in 1937.
She worked as a registered nurse at Torrance Hospital in Torrance, California, in 1937 prior to her marriage to Hugh H. Frank on September 12, 1937. They always made their home in Columbia City where she assisted her husband with his family’s operation of H.R. Frank & Sons Greenhouse. Hugh died March 21, 1992.
As a registered nurse, she worked as the county health nurse, and later at Linvill Hospital, Whitley County Memorial Hospital and Miller’s Merry Manor. Following her retirement she was a volunteer for hospice through Whitley County Memorial Hospital.
She was a member of Lakeland Grace Brethren Church, sang in a church trio, enjoyed singing and helping people.
Surviving relatives include a daughter, Patricia (Dennis) Grigar of Fort Wayne; two grandsons, Jeffrey Bender of VanWert, Ohio and Shannon Bender of Avilla; and four great-grandchildren, Michael, Amber, Julia and Elyssa Bender; two step-grandchildren, Emily Grigar of Fort Wayne and Dylan Grigar of Bloomington; and step-great-grandchildren, Evelyn Grigar.
The funeral service is 11 a.m. Wednesday at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City. The burial will be in Nolt Cemetery. The visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
For those who wish, memorials may be made to Focus on the Family.