ANDREW, Frances Joan (nee SMITH)
February 12, 1923 December 9, 2020
Frances died peacefully as a soft snow fell in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
She is mourned by her son John, daughter-in-law Katherine Latimer, Katherine’s mom Nita and nieces and nephews in Canada and the UK. Frances was predeceased by John, her husband of over 65 years, her brother Bill Smith and his wife Barbara.
Frances was born in Collingwood, Ontario, the daughter of Capt. W.H. (Harry) Smith and Florence Nettleton. Her name honours her greatgrandmother and the Great Lakes steamer Frances Smith built by her greatgrandfather in Owen Sound. Fran and Bill grew up in an extended family in their grandparents’ home after Harry tragically drowned in 1926. Athletic and adventurous, Fran excelled at sports, enjoyed skiing at nearby Blue Mountain and camping in Algonquin Park and on Georgian Bay.
She attended Macdonald College at Mcgill University, specializing in nutrition and food science. Although safe studying at Mcgill, the war had a lasting impact on her – taking her dear friend Mason Hargreaves and cousin John Macintyre. Home from university in the summer of 1943, Frances met John Andrew, a Royal Navy officer commissioning a corvette under refit in the Collingwood Shipyards. They began a mutual love and devotion that lasted for nearly seventy years.
Graduating with a BSC in 1945, Fran contributed to the post-war recovery with the Canadian Ministry of Food, first in the Niagara region organizing fruit preserves, and then in Britain, ministering to the nutritional needs of a quarter of war-torn London.
John and Frances married in London in August 1947 and moved to Montreal where she oversaw Morgan’s cafeteria while he completed his education at Mcgill. They settled in Pointe Claire and expanded their family with Buffer, a large dog, and John, a small boy, before moving to Westmount in 1965.
Frances had a special ability and connection with animals and always attracted the neediest – Cheep Cheep an injured baby robin she nurtured back to health and returned to a full life (against all experts’ expectations); Blizzard the stray cat followed her bootprints home in a blinding snowstorm; Linus, an abandoned and abused terrier arrived at the door during another winter whiteout and stayed for 12 years.
Frances and John travelled extensively in Europe and throughout the world. Together they enjoyed fly fishing, curling, golf, gardening and theatre. In 1982 they returned to London for four years prior to John’s retirement. They had happy times wintering in Tucker’s Town, Bermuda.
Fran was an active member and past-president of the Women’s Canadian Club of Montreal.
John and Katherine wish to thank the staff of the Balmoral Club for their care and kindness to Frances, and to express their appreciation and admiration for the courage, skill and dedication of all the hospital workers who looked after Frances in these extraordinarily difficult times.
Cremation has taken place and an interment for Frances and John in the Smith family plot in Owen Sound will be arranged when circumstances permit us to gather.
Condolences may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com.
Arrangement under the direction of the Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles – Newbigging Chapel, Toronto, 1-800-616-3311.
Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles – Newbigging Chapel
416-487-4523