Frances Elma Decker
Frances Elma Decker, 94, died
Sunday (Aug. 25, 2008) at Schowalter Villa in Hesston. She was born Dec. 8,
1913, near Roxbury to Adam S. and Agnes (Unruh) Ratzlaff. She attended school
through the eighth grade in the rural area of Roxbury. After school, she worked
for other families babysitting and helping with the housework. She moved to
Salina and continued to work as a nanny, living with the families. At the
church youth group, she met and dated her future husband, Alva. On Dec. 20,
1932, she married Alva Decker in Tampa.
In 1947, they moved to
Newton. Her work outside the home included working at a poultry company, in a
bakery, at Presbyterian Manor, at a laundry mat, as a seamstress for a drapery
company and as a crossing guard for the Newton Public Schools. During this
time, she also took care of her family, as well as a one-acre garden.
She was charter member of
Newton Bible Church in Newton and remained active in the church by singing in
the choir and serving as a Sunday school teacher. She and Alva loved to read
and continued until her eyesight began to fail. They loved to travel as a
family when the children were young, and then visiting the children as adults
with families of their own.
Survivors include two sons,
Glennon Decker of Sun City West, Ariz., and Bryan Decker of Arvada, Colo.;
daughter, Lola Hostetler of Chandler, Ariz; sister, Clara Wance of Hesston; two
brothers, Wesley Ratzlaff of Hutchinson and Clinton Ratzlaff of Maxwell, Iowa;
12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were
her husband, Alva; her parents; a sister, Hilda Mitchell; a son Gylmer Decker;
and three grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 1 to
8 p.m. Wednesday at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home in Newton, with the family
greeting friends from 5 to 7 p.m.
Funeral services will be at
2:30 p.m. Thursday at Newton Bible Church.
Memorials may be made to
Newton Bible Church or the American Cancer Society in care of the funeral home.
Friends may sign a guestbook
online at www.broadwaycolonialfh.com.
