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Frances Mallory Meyers, 81, of Novelty, Ohio, passed away in her home on Feb. 1, 2024, after a seven-year battle with cancer.
She was born on April 22, 1942, in Lexington to the late Brooke B. and Virginia C. Mallory. Her father was the post surgeon at Virginia Military Institute and then later a town physician who made house calls throughout the Shenandoah Valley with Fran in tow.
She lived with her parents and older brother, Brooke, on the post at VMI and attended Lexington High School and then Sweet Briar College, where she met her future husband, Ed, who was a law student at Washington and Lee University. They were married on Aug. 15, 1964, at the Robert E. Lee Episcopal Church in Lexington and then moved to Solon, Ohio, where she worked as the receptionist at Crawford Fitting Company while Ed pursued his law career at a firm now known as Ulmer & Berne and then at Arter & Hadden and later Western Reserve Land Conservancy.
While renting an apartment in Solon, they welcomed their first child, Charlie, and soon after purchased a 100-acre parcel of land on Music Street in Newbury Township with their dear friends, the Berrys and Thomas brothers. The four young families built a lake, surrounding driveway and each picked their 25-acre home site. Fran and Ed designed and built their first (and last) home around that lake in 1970 and then rounded out their family with two more children, Jim and Mallory.
Once Charlie arrived, Fran dedicated her life to her family. In addition to raising her children, she was actively involved in her community. She was a member of the Junior League, hosted a needlepoint gathering in her home for elderly women, was an active volunteer at the Holden Arboretum, including serving as chairwoman of the On Holden Pond fundraiser, a dedicated employee at Cotton Pickins’ fabric shop in Chesterland, and later Threads in Aurora. She was a talented seamstress and a long-time Master Gardener volunteer through the Ohio State Extension Office in Burton where she was known as “The Bug Lady.” She was the local expert on insects and their influence on nature, landscapes, and gardens, and built an impressive insect collection that still resides in the Ohio State Extension office today.
She taught her children and grandchildren to spot Monarch butterfly eggs and caterpillars on milkweed leaves, and then how to raise and release them once they emerged from their chrysalises. She loved nothing more than watching her grandchildren discover the world through nature by catching tadpoles, salamanders, minnows, frogs and snakes along the edge of the lake. She helped them dig for worms and could take a fish off a hook. Affectionately known as “Grandma,” she was always up for a puzzle or getting down on the ground to play card games and read books with her grandkids.
She was an avid and talented tennis player at Chagrin Valley Athletic Club and passed that passion along to her daughter who followed in her footsteps and plays there today.
She was loved by many friends through her hobbies, which included golf, tennis, bridge, building dollhouses, collecting miniatures and antiques, gardening, reading, and needlepoint. She was also an excellent cook who entertained and made birthdays special with her delicious chicken kiev and beef fondue. She made the best Christmas cookies and was known for her pumpkin pie which she made for all holidays.
She was active in her church, St. Christopher bythe- River, where she served as a Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Women’s Guild and Bargain Box committee. She was also a Stephen Minister.
She is survived by her husband of almost 60 years, Edward F. Meyers Jr., and their three children, Charles E. Meyers and his wife Jessica, James F. Meyers, and Mallory Meyers Taylor and her husband Paul. She leaves behind six grandchildren, David Meyers, Paul Taylor III, Thomas Meyers, Allison Taylor, Max Meyers, and Luke Meyers.
She is also survived by her brother Brooke B. Mallory and sister-in-law Emily Mallory; nieces and nephews, Julia Mallory Craven (Rolf), Bo Mallory (Lisa), John Wheatley (Karen), Linda Wheatley, and Allison Wheatley Bovard (Chris) and their children.
She is predeceased by her father and mother, Brooke B. Mallory and Virginia C. Mallory, of Lexington, father and mother-in-law, Edward F. Meyers and Ann R. Meyers, and her sister-in-law, Mona Meyers Wheatley, and brother-in-law, Jack Wheatley.
Through seven years of her cancer battle, she received top-notch care while simultaneously brightening the days of her wonderful team at the Cleveland Clinic, including Dr. Aneel Chowdhary and his Oncology team. She was attended during her final weeks at home by the wonderful nurses and caregivers from Ohio Living Home Health & Hospice.
Fran loved the spring, and the flowers and bluebirds the warm weather brings. Her family is planning a service and reception for family and friends at that time.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her name to St. Christopher bythe- River Episcopal Church.
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