Obituary of Frances J. Grissom

Frances DeLang Grissom, a long-time resident of Trona, California, died Saturday, March 7, 2015 at the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Bronwyn Grissom of St. Maries, Idaho. Her daughter, Sally Grissom Dolfini, and son-in-law, Steve Dolfini, were also present at the time of her passing. Frances was born in Los Angeles on September 17, 1918. On May 5, 1939, she married Vance Grissom, and the newlyweds moved to Trona, where Vance found work with Westend Chemical. During World War II, Vance served with the U.S. Army in Europe, and Frances returned to Los Angeles to work in the printing department of Douglas Aircraft producing handbooks for pilots for of D-17s. After the war, the Grissoms returned to Trona, where Vance worked for Westend, and Frances drove a school bus and was a Girl Scout leader. After her children were born, she was an active volunteer at the local schools, including years as a teacher’s aide, fund-raising for the Heart Association and Unicef, teaching a 4-H cake decorating class, and leading Girl Scout and Cub Scout groups. After Paul and Sally were grown, Frances worked as an aide in educationally handicapped classes and baked and decorated wedding cakes. An unpredictable life change for Frances came in the early 1970s, when the Grissoms took over the Hillco gas station in Trona. There, as a partner with her husband, Frances learned to lube cars, pump gas (in the 120 degree desert heat), and change tires, running the gas station and keeping the books. The latter responsibility offered her the opportunity to loan money at no interest to “tide people over.” She took pride in the fact that no one ever failed to pay her back. Over Frances’s long lifetime, her friendships with children and her “open door” policy of sharing her home has resulted in a vast number of people who call her “Grandma,” a group that extends far beyond legal and biological relations. As a neighbor, Phoebe Cortessis, wrote in her condolences, “Old friends are the best friends. Frances not only nurtured me, she nurtured my children.” A former resident of Trona, Meredith Montgomery Olmsted, wrote, “The Trona Post Office flag should fly at half-staff, and the Fish Rocks should have a black ribbon tied around them in memoriam. Trona without Frances is like the plant whistle never blowing again.” In addition to her children and their spouses, Frances is survived by five grandchildren: Megan (Bell), Devon (Stites), and Caitlin (Bianco) Grissom; Michael and Paul Dolfini; and five great-grandchildren: Lauren, Jonathan, Owen, and Leah Stites; and Charlotte Grissom-Bianco. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. at the Trona Community Church. A reception will follow at the Trona Senior Center. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice of North Idaho, 9493 N. Government Way, Hayden, Idaho 83838; or the Trona Community Senior Center, 13187 Market St., Trona, California 93562.