Frances P. Sard

She began living in Panama at the age of 12 and lived there or in the surrounding area almost all of the remainder of her life. She had moved frequently in her early childhood, but once she moved to Panama, she found her home, making many friends and loving her remaining school years at Panama Central. She said she “never wanted to live anywhere else” once she came to Panama.

She was a devoted mother, always present at any school event, concert or game in spite of a full-time job outside her home. She prepared delicious meals, sewed clothes for her children and painted and wallpapered to make a nice home for her family. She was well known for her wonderful pies, and her family eagerly anticipated the delicious fudge she made every Christmas, which no one in her family has come close to duplicating. In her later years, she became a talented quilter, sewing and hand quilting a quilt for each one of her grandchildren as a high school graduation present. She was also a voracious reader, greatly enjoyed working on large jigsaw puzzles and could whip her children and grandchildren without mercy at a game of Scrabble.

Frances was predeceased by her father, Francis Truman Polley, who died a few months before she was born; her mother, Cora (Groves) Calanni; her stepfather, Peter Calanni; three brothers, Charles Polley, John Polley and Fred Haley; her uncle and aunt, Edwin and Geraldine Groves, with whom she lived during her high school years; and her former husband, William R. Sard.

She is survived by her three children, Sharon (Daryl) Brautigam, William T. (Michelle) Sard, and Michael (Dawn) Sard; eight grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; her sister, Lois Thieme; her “twin cousin”, Ellen Lord, born 5 miles from Frances’ birthplace on the same day as Frances and delivered by the same doctor; her cousins Howard and Larry Groves, with whom she lived during her high school years and who say Frances was “like a big sister” to them; and other cousins and many nieces and nephews.

The family will receive family and friends at Lind Funeral Home on Sunday, August 18, from 1 – 4 p.m.

To leave a condolence, please visit lindfuneral home.com.