Frances Faye (Grider) Vavra

Frances Faye (Grider) Vavra, 89, passed away on November 28, 2021.

Private graveside services will be held in Brenham, Texas.

Faye was born on June 2, 1932, in Texhoma, Oklahoma, to parents Dave and Effie (McDonald) Grider. She grew up and attended school in Guymon, Oklahoma.

She was employed as a telephone operator for General Telephone and Southwestern Bell for over 40 years.

In her spare time, Faye enjoyed crocheting and Houston Rockets basketball (along with her husband, Lou Vavra). Many of her beautiful hairpin lace afghans were donated as fundraising items for various groups and door prizes for her high school reunions. Family members and friends were all recipients of their own beautiful afghan(s), sometimes to their delighted surprise. She once said that she stopped counting at 700. The final count of those created was probably over 1,000.

She will be remembered for her loving generosity and her strength to handle difficult situations. She stepped in at a time when it was necessary and raised two of her grandchildren.

Faye is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lou Vavra; her son, Dave Wesley Crawford; and her brother, J.D. Grider.

Surviving family members include: sisters – Margie Patrick and Ruby Wilhite; sister-in-law, Marilyn Martin Grider; brother, George Grider; children: Jonnie Crawford Nottingham, Beth Crawford Kirk and Wayne Crawford Jr.; grandchildren: Jeffrey Nottingham, Rebecca Kirk, Chloé Kirk, Rainna Kirk, Ashlie Crawford, Holli Crawford White, Dave Crawford Cook, Alvin “Tennessee” Crawford, Thomas Crawford, and Cody Crawford; greatgrandchildren: Sean Bredesen (Nottingham), Jak Bredesen (Nottingham), Cameran Crawford, Kira White, Seth Becker (White), Renalie Wilde Crawford, Zander Crawford, Leland Crawford, Alicia Williams (Crawford), Natalie Villarreal (Crawford) and Liliana Crawford.

Serving as pallbearers will be: Jeff Nottingham, Dave Cook, Alvin, Cody, and Thomas Crawford, Clifford Kirk and Stephan Kirk.

If you'd like to make a donation in memory of Faye, she requests that you please donate to your LOCAL animal shelter in her name.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 West Main Street, Brenham, TX 77833.