Frances A. Hettinger

Frances A. Hettinger, 78, of Benton Harbor, passed away Thursday, September 04, 2008 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:00 A.M. Monday at Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph with Rev. Wayne Otte officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Benton Harbor. Friends may call from 2:00 until 4:00 P.M. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Lakeland Hospice or to the family. Those wishing to share a memory or sign the guest book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Mrs. Hettinger was born July 27, 1932 in Benton Harbor to Casimer H. & Martha (Vandermolen) Styburski. She graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1950. On October 6, 1951, she married James Hettinger in Benton Harbor. Frances was employed as a server at Boynton School Cafeteria in Benton Harbor for ten years, retiring in 1995. She was an avid reader, making frequent trips to the Benton Harbor Public Library since the age of fourteen. Frances enjoyed the Blossom Parade, missing only one in her lifetime due to the birth of one of her children. In her spare time, Frances enjoyed knitting and traveling, and most of all, the time spent with her family, especially her grandchildren. Frances is survived by her husband James; six children-Kathy (Alan) Chevrette of St. Joseph, Jean (Rod) Hargis of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Mary Mason of South Bend, IN, Daniel (Karen) Hettinger of Fennville, MI, Nancy (Brian) LaSota of St. Joseph, and Cynthia (Robert) Herweyer of Fennville; eight grandchildren-Chris, Heather, Amy, Brandon, Wesley, Madeline, Laura, and Craig; seven great-grandchildren; one brother Melvin (Camilla) Styburski of St. Joseph; one sister Donna Bender of St. Joseph; and numerous nieces & nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, and by an infant daughter Kathleen Hettinger in September 1952.