No picture provided.
|
| Spouse: |
John Joseph Kennedy
|
| Children: |
None listed
|
| Grandchildren: |
None listed
|
| Parents: |
Anthony Kriech & Anna Mary Gehrlich
|
| Siblings: |
Anthony Isodore Kriech
Theresa Kriech
Marguerite Kriech
James "Jake" Kriech
George John Kriech
Joseph Francis Kriech
Magdalena "Lena" Kriech
Anna Mary "Mickey" Kriech
Isodore A. "Jiggy" Kriech
Clarence Francis Kriech
Clara "Sis" Kriech
Rose Marie Kriech
|
| Grandparents: |
None listed
|
| |
|
| Family
Legacies™ |
|
| |
Cemetery Location Map to Gravesite |
Birth Date: 06/25/1898
Death Date: 5/2/2001
St. Joseph Cemetery
Section H, Lot 241, Grave 2A
|
| Frances was indeed a special person who lived a very long and full 102 years of life. I want to tell you a little that I learned about Frances over the last 2+ years of her life.Frances was born the 14th child of Anthony & Anna Mary Kriech on June 25, 1898, on Palmer Street on the near Southside of Indianapolis. Frances was baptized the next day at Sacred Heart and her Godmother, Sophie Beck, had her wrapped up so tightly on a very hot summer day, that she nearly died of heat exhaustion.Frances attended Sacred Heart grade school- girls on one floor, boys on the other.At age 7, Frances' mother died and Frances described in detail the frilly collar and clothing she was wearing during the wake which was held in her house on Palmer Street. Frances carried to her death a little pendant with a picture of her mother. Frances really remembered little of her mother except her tireless tending to children and the house. Frances described life in Indianapolis before cars and how most people walked or took the trolley to get around. Family life with her brothers and sisters was quite hectic with the older boys who slept upstairs, waking Frances the baby up as they came down the stairs to get to work, either as carpenters, pipe fitters or laborers. Frances also described her home always having a Quarantine Sign on it because of chicken pox, mumps or measles, which are all but gone today. Frances' most vivid memories are of Christmas and setting up the tree in the front parlor and the excitement of a simple gift and going to celebrate Christmas at Sacred Heart Church. Frances' favorite brother was Jake. She absolutely adored him and his kindness and wit. Her description is consistent with others' memories of him.Frances' father, Anthony, worked at a meat packing company and would come home smelling of work and would wash his white beard to get it clean. He spoiled Frances as the baby. Francs only had fond memories of a strict but kind man, very fair and hard working.When Frances graduated from school at age 14, she became an apprentice for Bookwalters Ball Printing. At age 16, she joined the Union as a bookbinder and worked there until retirement. Frances would the books, which had mistakes in binding during breaks, and as a result became a life-long avid reader of books. Frances exercised her mind daily, reading right up until her death and certainly was a factor in her long life. Most of Frances' friends were either from Bookwalters, the church or family.At age, 17 Frances' father died and left all of his money, a few hundred dollars to Frances. Frances moved in with her sister Lena Volrath, along with her sister Rose. Rose stayed on to raise the children after Lena died.Frances never talked about her life during the ages of 18-30. It appears Frances, was to marry a man who backed out of the wedding at Sacred Heart. Frances remained single until age 32, when she married John Joseph Kennedy who was widowed and 12 years older than she. Joe had built a house on the near Eastside of Indianapolis on Centennial and they moved in. Joe worked doing farming and digging basements.Frances described the Depression as not to bad since she and Joe both had jobs but it left a huge impression on her. She never wasted anything. Right down to reusing paper napkins. Frances never had children, and when asked, she said she did not know why.Frances' Life with Joe during the 40's, 50's and 60's was some of her most enjoyable. Frances traveled out west often on vacation and fell in love with its beauty.In August of 1974, Joe passed away. Frances described Joe as a kind and loving husband. Frances greatly missed Joe ever since his death. After a few years, Frances' cousin Irma Cox who also had lost her husband convinced Frances in 1977 to move to Arizona to get away from the winters of Indiana. At age 79, she packed everything up and Irma drove several days to get to Arizona. Frances never drove a car.Frances loved living in Sun City, Arizona in an apartment in a retirement community. She had many friends in Arizona.I was unaware of Frances because she lived in Arizona during most of my adult life. However, I found out about Frances because a Frederick Gerlich, in 1998 contacted me, while he was doing genealogy on his family name. Frances' mother was a Gerhlich and he had put together a partial list of her brothers and sisters. He listed Frances as presumed dead because she would have been about 100 years old. When I asked my parents, they told me that Frances was living alone in an apartment in Arizona. I wrote and then visited her while on business in Phoenix. Frances lived alone in an apartment and fixed me dinner each time I would visit.Frances, as you can see, was a wealth of information about the family bringing each name in the family genealogy to life.Frances was deeply spiritual doing her rosary sometimes several times a day. She loved her family and carried the terrible burden of watching everyone she ever knew pass away as she live don. Yet, Frances was always positive. When she was asked the secret to long life, she said, 'Live right and do the right things.' Frances saw little value in complaining about aches and pains, but rather looked at this incredible experience we call life as a wondrous adventure. When Bertha Gagnon, her first niece and I talked about Frances into returning to Indianapolis last October she got on a plane for the first time in her life. When we arrived in Indianapolis, we visited all of her favorite memories and she was so glad to be home. I am glad she has finally made it Home. It was a long journey for Frances.I feel I got the most benefits in the relationship we formed. I learned from Frances a lot more, about what is important in life, such as family and friends and I cannot thank Frances enough for that. I am sure we all will see France again. |
|
Family Picture 1890, Frances' Family before Frances was born.
|
Frances Kriech, December 1898, age 5 months.
|
Frances, center, age 11 in 1909 with her father Anthony, right, sister Rose, left, sister Clara and brother Isodore "Jiggy".
|
Frances sister Lena Volrath with Adolph, right, Margaret, center and Magdalena, left in 1912.
|
Frances sister Rose in 1947
|
Frances Kriech at age 20, 1918
|
Frances and Joe's Wedding Day, August 23, 1930, in Indianapolis
|
Frances and Joe's home on Centennial Street in Indianapolis. Joe built this home.
|
Joe and Frances in 1935
|
Frances' Friends in Arizona
|
|
|
