Funeral services for Frances P. Holmes, 94, of Panora, formerly of Bagley, will be 10:30am Monday April 20, 2009 at the Bagley United Methodist Church. Interment will be in Dodge Township Cemetery.

Friends may call at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson after 12 noon Sunday. The family will greet friends from 4:00 – 6:00pm Sunday at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson.

Frances Pearl (Sprague) Holmes, daughter of Frank and Gertie (Klinzman) Sprague was born in Bagley, Iowa on November 26, 1914; and died April 16, 2009 at Lakeside Village in Panora, Iowa. She was the oldest of three daughters, the others being Norma (Sprague) Wagner and Marjorie (Sprague) Duggins. She grew up on the family farm near Bagley and graduated from Cooper High School in 1932. At a neighborhood dance she met Vernon R. Holmes. She and Vernon were married on December 8, 1935. To this union four children were born: Larry, Gary, Rodney and Roxanne.

Vernon and Frances moved to a farm southeast of Yale shortly after they were married. In 1940, they moved to Bagley and purchased the Duntman Grocery. In 1944 they sold the grocery and bought a corn shelling business from Clyde Kinney. They moved to a farm northeast of Bagley, where Frances was raised, in 1950. They moved back to Bagley in 1964. In 1998 they moved to Jefferson and lived in retirement until moving to Lakeside Village on Lake Panorama in December of 2007.

Frances was a very active member in the WSCS as well as Sunday School Superintendent for the Bagley United Methodist Church. She served as a Cub Scout leader, Garden Club member, and was active in the Eastern Star. She also served on the Bagley School Board for a number of years.

Frances enjoyed visiting with friends, family dinners, family reunions and always provided the best food for all occasions.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents, sister, Marjorie and daughter, Roxanne.

Frances is survived by Vernon, her husband of 73 years, three sons: Larry of West Des Moines; Gary (Connie) of Glidden; and Rodney (Luanne) of Salt Lake City, Utah; six grandchildren: Rick (Tracy) Holmes, Geni (Jeff) Greiner, Michael Holmes, Kevin (Aimee) Holmes, Kari (Bart) Thomas, Scott (Amy) Holmes, and fourteen great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren; and one sister, Norma Wagner of Spirit Lake.