Virginia Frantz

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Virginia Kerns Frantz, age 95, currently living in Amarillo, but a long-time resident of Guymon, Oklahoma, died July 26, 2019.  Memorial services will be held at 2 PM, Wednesday, July 31 at United Methodist Church, Guymon, Oklahoma.  The family will receive friends and loved ones for visitation from 6 PM to 8 PM Tuesday, July 30 at Henson-Novak Funeral Directors, Guymon, Oklahoma.  Private burial will be at 10 AM Wednesday, July 31 at Gray Cemetery.

She was a very accomplished lady!  She was a published author, an artist, a mother, and a teacher.  And that’s just for starters.  She was active in clubs, women’s rights issues and civic groups.  She supported the arts in our area…everything from painting to acting.  She was a loving, supportive mother to seven children, and “Ginna” to scores of grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.  She was a super cookie-baking grandma.  She was truly a remarkable influence on her friends and family.

Born in 1924 at Grenada, Colorado, Virginia grew up in Beaver County, Oklahoma and lived during the “dirty thirties” so she had many stories to share of that era.

In 1942 she married C.J. Frantz and became a ranch wife and a busy mother to seven children.  While living on the farm located 20 miles from Perryton Texas, she was an activist, a voice to help obtain phone and mail service in the rural communities.

Virginia became a college student as an adult.  With 4 children still living at home, she worked in the college cafeteria and as a dorm mom in addition to attending classes.  She graduated from Panhandle State, Goodwell, Oklahoma and later received her Master’s Degree from Northwestern Oklahoma State at Alva, Oklahoma.  She was a Speech & Psychology teacher in the Guymon school system, and she spent 4 years as a student teacher supervisor for OPSU.  After retiring from the classroom, she was still called to be a substitute teacher until she was well into her 80’s.  Always eager to try new things, one summer she took a job as a cook at Fun Valley, Colorado.  She remained actively involved in her church, The United Methodist Church, the Prime Timers, Retired Teachers, Leading Lady Singers, Spades Club, Red Hat Society, Pink Ladies, Community Theatre, Meals on Wheels and her writing group. Virginia was also inducted into the OPSU Hall of Fame in 2013.

Virginia always enjoyed writing and after her retirement, she slowed down enough to write a book, Keepin’ It Together, which was a fictionalized account of her life in the Dust Bowl days.  She also published stories in various magazines including Guide Post, Reminiscence and Angels on Earth.  She was interviewed and appeared in Ken Burns’ PBS documentary of the Dust Bowl Days.

Virginia was preceded in death by two siblings as children, Ruby and Robert Kerns; by her parents William Roy Kerns and Virgie Cherry Kerns; her sisters Dorine Cochran, Wilma Crain and June Wright.

She is survived by her brother, Roy Kerns and wife Freda of Eufala, Oklahoma; her aunt, Bessie Jo Peden, Abilene TX.  She also leaves behind her dear friend, Wilma Tomlinson of Guymon.

Her seven children also survive her:

Jeanene Seaton, Pampa TX

Cheryl OQuin and Bob Lile, Amarillo TX

Nayoma and Jerry Cooper, Guymon OK

Pat Barton, Enid, OK

Rocky and Brenda Frantz, Perryton TX

Kara and James Lawrence, Granbury TX

Clay and Sonya Frantz, Hardesty OK

She is also survived by 16 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren, numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and friends of all ages.

The family wishes to express a special thanks to Dr. Canales, Dr. Martindale and Dr. Hendricks and to the caring nursing staff on the 4th and 5th floors at BSA.

Memorials may be sent to Loaves & Fishes Ministry or Guymon Memorial Library, both in Guymon, Oklahoma or OPSU Scholarship Fund, Goodwell, Oklahoma.

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