Frances Ruth Watts Hutcherson – June 6, 1945 - April 27, 2015

After a courageous battle with cancer, Frances Ruth Watts Hutcherson passed away peacefully at her home in Sanger, TX on April 27, 2015. Fran was born in Lawton, Oklahoma to C.A and Sarah Watts on June 6, 1945. She moved with her family to Norman, Oklahoma after World War II. The family next moved to Corpus Christi, Texas and then on to Houston, Texas, where she graduated from Bellaire High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from Abilene Christian University and later a Masters of English from Texas Women's University. She married Don Hutcherson on June 25, 1966 in Houston. They moved to Gainesville, Texas in 1975, where she was an active part of the community until moving to Sanger, Texas in 2002.

Fran was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and was active in many other groups, clubs and community service organizations. During her working career, she taught English at Gainesville High School in the 1980s and was an advisor in the Art Department at the University of North Texas.

Fran was a member of the Singing Oaks Church of Christ in Denton, Texas and participated actively in church ministry. She enjoyed working with the World Bible School, Wednesday Study Club, the Soup Kitchen and tutoring at-risk youths for the Denton ISD. She participated in Bible Study Fellowship for many years. She delighted in serving others and found great joy in meeting the needs of her family. Fran loved literature and learning and was an avid writer of poetry and children's stories. She committed herself to using what she learned to improve the lives of others. She touched the lives of many people with her smile and generosity, and maintained her grace and gentle spirit until the end of her life.

She is survived by her husband Don Hutcherson of Sanger and children Bradley Hutcherson and his wife Karla of Highland Village, Brian Hutcherson and his wife Shawna of Ponder, Barry Hutcherson and his wife Dawn of Denton, and Donna (Hutcherson) Lee and her husband Jody of McKinney. Fran leaves behind 11 treasured grandchildren: Conner, Ashton, Sam, Jase, Hayes, Max, Morgan and Natalie Hutcherson, and Tyler, Parker, and Hutton Lee. She will be fondly remembered by her two sisters, Nancy Martin and husband Steve of Austin, Texas and Peggy Piletere and husband Dale of Richmond, Texas, and numerous extended family members. She was preceded in death by her parents C.A and Sarah Watts and stepmother Vera Mae Watts of Houston.

A time of visitation has been set for 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Thursday, April 30, 2015 at the Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home in Denton, Texas. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 Friday, May 1, 2015 at the Singing Oaks Church of Christ in Denton, Texas with burial following in the Era Cemetery.
The family requests all donations be made to the Fran Hutcherson Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Texas Women's University. Checks should be made payable to the TWU Foundation with Fran Hutcherson Scholarship noted on the memo line and sent to P.O. Box 425618, Denton, TX 76204.