Frances Elizabeth Bewley Cook died Nov. 25, 2011 in Sacramento, Calif. at the age of 106. She was born Jan. 5, 1905 on a farm near Fall River. She attended country schools, and then graduated from Heald Business College in Wichita. She married George C. Smith in 1926. He died 1936 of appendicitis. Following the death of her husband, Frances and her two children moved to Fredonia.

Frances worked as a secretary at the Kansas Bank Note Company until she married Don Cook in 1948. In their retirement years, they owned and operated the Gold Dust Hotel in Fredonia.

Frances was a member of the First United Methodist Church.

Frances moved to Sacramento in 2001 to be near her family.

She is survived by her daughter, Ellie Matranga, stepdaughter, Lois Anapolsky, all of Sacramento, Calif.; grandson, two granddaughters, two great-granddaughters, a great-grandson; stepson, Max Cook, Fredonia; stepsisters, Donna Jo Cuddy, Olathe, and Peggy Rosen. Rocklin, Calif.

She was preceded in death by son, James R. Smith, Prairie Village; granddaughter, Jan Matranga, San Jose.

Memorial graveside service will be 11:30 a.m. Sunday, May 27 at Weakley Cemetery, followed by a family luncheon. Burial will be in the Bewley family plot in Weakley Cemetery near New Albany, next to her husband, Don Cook.

Memorial donations may be made to Vitas Hospice Care, 3841 N. Freeway Blvd., Suite 210, Sacramento, CA, 95834, “in memory of Frances Cook.” Words of condolence for the family may be left at www.timmonsfuneralhome.com.

Timmons Funeral Home, PO Box 168, Fredonia, KS 66736 is in charge of the arrangements.