Frances (Fran, Franny) O. Bates, 74

Frances O. (Fran or Franny) (Edmundson) Bates of Murray, Idaho, passed away Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.

She is survived by her older brother, David (Sharon), and her younger brothers, Ron and Dean Edmundson. Frances will also be missed by her nephews, Dale and Trent, nieces Cindy and Carmen, and many dear friends in the Murray, Idaho, area.

Fran was born Feb. 12, 1950, in Birtle, Manitoba, Canada. She was raised on the family farm in the Birtle municipality. Growing up on the family farm fostered her determination and enduring work ethic.

She attended school in her hometown before seeking employment with the first Canadian Tire store in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and later moved to Calgary, Alberta, to work with Chinook Chrysler. Fran married and moved to the Los Angeles area in the early 1970s; however, life in a large urban city wasn’t for her. When the opportunity presented itself, she moved to Coeur d’Alene. She transitioned to employment at the Medicine Man Pharmacy in Post Falls, Idaho, where she worked until she retired.

It was in northern Idaho, in the Murray area, that she discovered her passion for the great outdoors. Fran became an avid elk and mushroom hunter and enjoyed all aspects of fishing. Eventually, she moved to Murray, where she became very involved in the community. Fran absolutely loved her life in Murray and the many enduring friendships that grew there from all over the U.S. She was an independent person and one of a kind, and she will be missed.