Frances Imogene Friend

Frances Imogene Friend, daughter of the late Vernon Carl and Gladys (Epperly) Gouker, was born April 12, 1934, in Prague, Oklahoma. Frances had 6 brothers and 2 sisters. She passed away August 15, 2018, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. She was 84 years, 4 months, and 3 days of age.

Frances married Billy Friend on April 21, 1951. Three daughters were born to this union: Janet, Louise, and Brenda. Billy was the love of Frances’ life. She greatly enjoyed caring for her family, cooking for her family, and making a wonderful home for them. She loved them with all her heart. Frances also spent several years working as a nurse. She enjoyed music and liked to listen to Alan Jackson and Johnny Cash. Frances loved God and enjoyed attending church services, visiting with church family, and going to church singings.

Besides her parents, Frances was preceded in death by her husband, Billy, six brothers, Elmer, Zeb, Doyle, Cap, Ricky, and Terry Gouker, two sisters, Edith and Linda Gouker, and one granddaughter, Amber Joy Neal-Friend.

She is survived by three daughters, Janet Dugger and her husband, Dale, of Springfield, Missouri, Louise Nunn and her husband, Billy, of Kingsburg, California, and Brenda Noah and her husband, Dan, of Sparta, Missouri, grandchildren, Paul Hill, Billy Hill (Naomi), Malinda Dugger, Sheila Butterfield, Rhonda Tollison, Rana Supancic (Greg), Shannan Rand (Jason), Joey Watts (Nicole), and Jennifer Mullen (Justin), great-grandchildren, Dylan Hill, Zavier Ortiz (Christina), Destiny Ray (Levi), Michael Ortiz, Conner Smith, Jake, Nicole, and Blake Butterfield, Cody Dale, Corey Tollison, Amanda Supancic, D.J., Jacob, Addisyn, and Jackson Watts, Kaitlyn, Brenden, and Joshua Mullen, Jake Rand, Shalyn Kellum, and Jaystin Rand, great-great-grandchildren, Xavier III, Cristiano and Aviana Ortiz, and Lauryn Tollison, and other relatives and friends. Frances will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.