Frances Louise (Barrett) Yates April 30, 1932 - January 31, 2023

Frances Louise (Barrett) Yates was born on April 30, 1932 in Portland, Oregon to John & Dorothy Barrett. Fran’s mother died of tuberculosis when Fran was just 2 years old. Her father remarried a year later to Lois, who raised Fran as her own. In 1946, a brother John (Roderick) joined the family. Fran attended Fairview Grade School and graduated from Grant High School in Portland. She later went on to graduate from Whitman College in 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French Education. She held the offices of Treasurer and Vice President in her Alpha Phi Fraternity. Fran would later attend PSU to complete a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling, eventually working as a school counselor in the Parkrose School District.

In 1954, at 22 years of age, Fran began working at David Douglas High School as their first-ever French and Latin teacher during the school’s inaugural year. She charged her high school Latin pupils with organizing an authentic Roman Banquet each year which featured feasts, costumes, and performances. It was an impressive event that other faculty members and district administrators attended as honored guests, attired in Roman costumes themselves. Her summers off from teaching were spent travelling to Europe and Hawaii.

In 1959, Fran married Clifford Yates at Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church in Portland. They built a new home together in the Mt. Tabor area of Portland, raising their two sons, Steve and Brian. They were long-time members of Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church, both serving as Elders with Fran also singing in the church’s Temple Choir for 25 years. Fran took great pride in her family, and served as a long-time room mother, PTA member, and school volunteer. In 1990, Cliff took an early retirement from KOIN as a broadcast engineer and they spent much of their time traveling and square dancing. Winters were spent on the Big Island of Hawaii, in Palm Desert, CA and Mesa, AZ. Many miles were travelled in their motor home together.

In 2001, Cliff suffered a stroke, confining him to a wheelchair for the remainder of his years. Fran was his sole caregiver in their home in Gresham until the last year of his life when he went to assisted living, passing in 2014. Fran remained in her home until she entered comfort care at Providence Hospital for cancer, where she died a week later at the age of 90. Fran was known for her impeccable homemaking, cooking, baking, and candy-making skills. She loved reading, especially Danielle Steel novels. Her sons and their families remained close by.

Fran is survived by her brother Rod (Joelle) of Westbank, British Columbia, older son Steve and his wife Tracy of Gresham, OR, and their two daughters Kelsey, and Sarah. She is also survived by her younger son Brian and his wife Laura of Portland, and their two sons, Brandon and Cameron, and nephews Justin and Adam. Private family services will be held.