FRANCES R. HULBERT

Frances R. Hulbert died on Dec. 6, 2001, at Valley Hospital surrounded by her family.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Michaels Catholic Church in Palmer, on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 2 p.m. Visitation will precede Mass, and a reception will follow. Burial will be at Aurora Cemetery in Wasilla.

Frances was born March 14, 1915, in Moorland, Iowa, the second of 10 children born to George and Mary Byrne. After attending one-room rural schoolhouse, then Iowa State University, she taught high school and worked with the Iowa Cooperative Extension Service.

In 1945, Frances came to Palmer to work with the Alaska Cooperative Extension Service. She met and married Jim Hulbert, then spent several adventurous years prospecting and mining gold at Chicken in the Fortymile area. After the Hulbert family returned to Palmer in 1952, Frances worked as a school teacher, then as the Cooperative Extension Service agent, retiring in 1971.

She traveled extensively teaching home-economic skills. Frances and Jim then built a retirement home in Wasilla, and moved into the Pioneers' Home in 1997. Frances loved to travel, taking Jim on world cruises, safaris and visiting relatives.

Frances was involved in church activities, and was a founder of Bishop's Attic. She was active in Beta Sigma Phi, PTA, local homemakers clubs, Fiber Arts Guild, and served as a 4-H leader.

In addition to keeping active with her friends and social activities, Fran's hobbies included gardening, weaving and spinning, and judging at the fair.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, and five of her siblings.

Survivors include children and spouses, Kathy and Tommy Davis, of Ellicott City, Md.; Ralph and Helen Hulbert, of Palmer; Paul and Barbara Hulbert, of Big Lake; and Janet Hulbert and Kevin Waring, of Anchorage; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Michaels Parish in Palmer.