Mary Frances Ramsey

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Mary Frances "Fran" Ramsey age 81 of Gravois Mills, Mo., formerly of Pinckneyville, Ill. and Houston, Tex., passed away on Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at her home in Gravois Mills, Mo.

Fran was born on Dec. 25, 1928 on a farm two miles west of Pinckneyville, Ill. She was the sixth of eight children to Vallie and Fannie (Hutchings) McDonnough. She attended Beaucoup Grade School and graduated from Pinckneyville Community High School in 1946 and was the drum major for the band. She then graduated from Montana School of Nursing and attended Central Missouri University where she received her Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Speech Pathology and Audiology. She received her Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Fran was a therapist and university professor for many years in Illinois, Iowa and Texas. She was also a consultant for the State of Iowa. Fran married Joseph Merl Ramsey on Feb. 4, 1949 in Pinckneyville, Ill. and he preceded her in death on Feb. 4, 1967. She is also a member of Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, Tex., where she developed a mission ministry serving 17 retirement centers. She has also served in mission work in Taiwan and Thailand.

Fran is survived by a son, Joseph Greg Ramsey, Sr. of Houston, Texas; a daughter-in-law, Janet Poole Ramsey of Gravois Mills, Mo.; a brother, Merle McDonnough of Denver, Colo.; a sister, Marjorie Vines of Houston, Tex.; three grandchildren, Nathan A. Moore of Sunrise Beach, Mo., M. Christine (Jeffrey) Durbin of O'Fallon, Mo. and Joseph (Angel) Greg Ramsey, Jr. of Gravois Mills, Mo.; and five great-grandchildren, Nathaniel Moore, Joseph Ramsey, Natalie Ramsey, Cole Durbin and Mia Durbin.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; three brothers, Dean McDonnough, Milton McDonnough and Wayne McDonnough; and two sisters, Audrey McCarty and Pearl Rheinhardt.

Funeral services were held at Beaucoup Baptist Church, Pinckneyville, Ill. on Monday, April 12, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. with Pastor Mark Lee officiating. Interment was in Mueller Hill Cemetery, Pinckneyville, Ill.

Friends called at Pyatt Funeral Home, Pinckneyville, Ill. on Sunday from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and then on Monday at the church from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.

Memorials may be made to Mueller Hill Cemetery Association

For more information or to sign an online guest register, please visit www.pyattfuneralhome.com.