Frances Virda Kessler Terry

KLEIN, TEXAS ~ Frances Virda Kessler Terry, 96, passed to heaven on September 29, 2016, preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jack Pittman Terry. She was born in Eunice, Louisiana to Virda Evelyn Allen and William Henry Kessler on January 26, 1920, the sixth of nine children. She started school early and graduated in 1936 from Eunice High School. She moved to Beaumont where she lived with her dear sister Ruby and graduated from Chenier Business College. Over the next 20 years, she worked in several positions and particularly enjoyed being a legal assistant. In her personal life, she had well organized files, typed her checks, and used short hand to take sermon notes. She was very smart, intuitive, and wise woman. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, word games, and was quick with math. With keen attention to detail, in modern times she would have been an excellent CPA or attorney.
She returned to Eunice to be with her mother after her brother Willis was killed in World War II. She dearly loved her mother and her brothers and sisters. In 1957 she married Jack Terry and quit work to travel with him on his job. After concluding they were not able to have children, the best surprise of their life happened; Frances became pregnant and at age 42 had Kathryn Louise Terry. Frances and Jack lived in Fairfield, Texas from 1959 – 1964 when they moved to Houston. Frances remembers those years in Fairfield fondly as she got to know and love her Terry in-laws.
In Houston, they were members of Southmore Plaza Baptist church and later in 1978 became members of First Baptist Church Pasadena. Frances loved the Lord. Every day began with Bible reading and prayer. In the evenings she and Kathryn read the Bible together until Kathryn was 14. Kathryn remembers attending church three times per week plus going with Frances on many other mid-week activities such as visiting the sick or elderly, preparing the Sunday church bulletin, or a prayer meeting. For many years Frances was a women’s adult Sunday School teacher, sang in the choir, played the piano in small groups, officer in WMU (Women’s Missionary Union), etc. Later she was a prayer captain. She would ask almost everyone she met, “Are you a Christian? Do you know Jesus?”
She is survived by her daughter Kathryn, son-in-law Kevin Smith, and granddaughter Victoria Kathryn Smith; sister Carrie Williamson; sister-in-law Margaret Haverfield; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation was Friday, September 30 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm and Saturday, October 1st 9:00 – 9:45 am with service at 10:00 am. Klein Funeral Home-Champions, 16131 Champion Forest Drive, Klein, TX.
Internment was Saturday, October 1st, 3:30 pm, Fairfield Cemetery, Fairfield Texas.
Tax deductible donations in memory of Frances may be given to Course Directives, P.O. Box 7344, Houston, TX 77248-73440.