Obituary
Frances Louise Hann, 88. Of Lehigh Acres Fl, Passed away Friday May 12, 2023. She was born November 6th, 1934, in Everglades City Florida to Frank and Ethel Lowe (Hamilton).
Although her birth certificate lists Everglades City as her place of birth, she was born on a liter (house) boat on Lostman’s River in the 10,000 islands, southeast of Chokoloskee, being the child of a mother and father that made a living off of the water. For the first years of her life, she lived in what today would be called a shack in paradise until you consider living with no modern conveniences at all, like electricity, to even run a fan, much less air conditioning, running water, flush toilets. But with mosquitos, and lots more mosquitos. Also, after the beginning of the war in 1941, she experienced seeing her Uncle Gene Hamilton who lived nearby have his largest of three fishing boats being seized by the Coast Guard. They painted it grey, mounted deck guns on it and turned it into a patrol boat for the area. The family would later experience having live rounds fired over their head at night by the Coast Guard from that same boat if they did not shield their fires or lantern light from being seen from the water. In approximately 1943 the family moved the liter boat and a couple of smaller fishing boats north to a location in the Punta Rassa area. Growing up in Southwest Florida in the 30’s & 40’s could be a hard reality especially for a child. It was shortly after the move north that Frances was given the boot at the age of 9 due to too many mouths to feed, she was told. Not knowing what to do at first and knowing she would have to walk wherever she went; she chose to go to the Fort Myers home of her older brother Amos Lowe. Upon arrival and explaining, Amos and Opel took her in for a period of time. Frances was cared for by several family members a year or two at a time. She received limited schooling while living in the Chokoloskee, Everglades City area. School was more of a regular thing while living with other family members. She ultimately had to quit school, but many years later got her GED.
In 1951 Frances married Roy Vivian (RV) McCormick of Bonita Springs. Her and RV had three children. Steve (1952), Tina (1953) & Morris (1958). Frances had numerous jobs through the years, ranging from hospitality to food service work. She worked at the Villa Bonita in Bonita Springs which later was renamed the Shangri-la. She received a tip from a friend about a job opening for a wealthy family in Naples on Gordon Drive. She interviewed and was awarded that position over several other applicants. That client was S.F Briggs, of Briggs & Stratton small engines. Briggs eventually purchased Johnson & Evinrude Outboard engines and formed Outboard Marine Corp. or OMC. Her duties were light housekeeping and cooking. Mr. Briggs loved her southern recipes and style of cooking. While working there she met numerous friends of the Briggs’s like Robert McCulloch of McCulloch Chain Saws. and Ralph Evinrude of Evinrude Outboard Motors. After about 10 years employment there she resigned that position to be home more to raise children and to help more with RV’s Sod & Landscape business which had grown. During these years, feeling the itch for something new, she leased and ran a restaurant in Bonita called the Copper Kettle for one year. She developed a loyal following of customers that came for the southern homestyle food she put out 6 days a week. Although she enjoyed it, she did not renew the lease due to the heavy workload.
She later became the manager at the “Minute Shop”, a convince store across from the Shangri-la and ran that for a couple of years. In early 1975 she was asked to come back to work for the Briggs’s. This time her and RV moved into the guest house at the Briggs property on Gordon Drive. She resumed her duties as before. Making Mr. Briggs his favorite meals once again until his passing in October of 1976. Mrs. Briggs was moved to a care facility at that time. So that brought an end to her career working for the Briggs family. She always spoke well of Mr. & Mrs. Briggs.
RV McCormick had sold his sod and landscape business by now and had purchased a 4-axel Dump Truck and was working it locally. At some point Frances and RV moved to Brooksville for a year or so to work the truck up there. Together they worked it 24 hours a day for six days a week. RV would drive it during the night and Frances would drive during the day.
About 1980 a relative who owned the Dome Tavern in Bonita Springs needed someone to operate and manage it. Frances came to the rescue and built the business up with her great food and menu items, it was an unspoken friendly rivalry between the Dome Tavern and Nicola’s Keg as to who had the best hamburger in town. But also, for her firm but fair-minded way of handling things when someone had too much to drink. She was known to have fed many that were hungry but had no money. Now go home and sobor up she would tell them. Those folks always came back and paid up for her generosity. She was well respected there. That relative passed away and the Dome was closed about 1988.
During her period Running the Dome Tavern RV McCormick passed away in November 1982. Leaving her a Widow.
Somewhere around here Frances developed a love for Bingo and other forms of gambling. She had the magic touch and almost always came out ahead. She would go with a fixed amount to spend and never go over it. She would also know when to walk away after a big win rather than risk losing it.
Frances then went to school and got her HHA (Home Health Aid) certificate. While working in that field she continued her schooling and acquired her CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certificate. This certification allowed her to make much better money and she worked a lot.
About 1987 she married Charlie Scheid. A hard-working man of Germain decent that was known for his exceptional workmanship in the brick pavers field of work. They enjoyed fishing and going on the gambling boats together. Charlie died unexpectantly of a heart attack about 10 years later. Leaving her a widow for the second time.
About 2000 she married Captain George Hann. A 100-ton Boat Captain from New England. Frances and George would spend summers north at George’s place in Maine, and winters down south. By this time Frances had sold her Bonita Home and purchased a home next door to her Brother Jack Lowe in San Carlos Park. Frances and George did a lot of traveling and these were very enjoyable years for her. Frances and George purchased a home in the outskirts of Sebring Florida for the laid-back slower pace of life. Sadly, George passed away from COPD in April 2009 Leaving her a widow a third time.
About 2012 she married Bud, a neighbor to Captain George and Frances in Sebring. Bud’s wife of 50+ years had recently passed away. Bud had become very good friends with George and Frances. After George’s passing Frances became very depressed and Bud was a good listener, and help mate during that difficult time. Since all of Frances’s family now lived 2 hours away. Ultimately, Bud and Frances wed, but she retained George’s last name of Hann. She refused to take Bud’s last name because she said she could not spell Weinsheimer. They enjoyed several years of joy going north to Bud’s place in Michigan in the summer and Sebring in the winter. It was about the second summer in Michigan that convinced her to finally quit smoking. Bud nor any of his friends or family up there smoked. She said she just realized it was time to quit, and did so cold turkey after smoking all of her life. Bud passed away in December 2021 leaving her a widow for the last time.
Frances spent her last years enjoying life as much as possible living near her daughter Tina and Son-n-law Clay in Lehigh Acres. As long as she had her little car, she had freedom and that brought her happiness. But as the Alzheimer’s progressed from simply forgetting things, the car had to be taken away. However, she understood why, and did not fight it. She was able to continue to live by herself for a couple more years since Bud had been moved to a care facility some time ago. Ultimately as Alzheimer’s became Dementia, she was moved to a care facility herself where she received very good care by a loving staff. But in the end the mind of a dementia patient can’t even keep the internal organs working and things start shutting down. That process began about May 1 and she was moved to a wonderful Hospice Facility. Frances’s long storied life ended on the morning of May 12, 2023. Passing peacefully in her sleep.
Frances is survived by her loving children: Steve McCormick (Wendy), Tina Wilson (Clay), and Morris McCormick (BobbiAnn). Grand Children: Jason McCormick, Channing Nichols (McCormick) Brian Wilson, Thomas Wilson. Plus, five grand children through marriage. A total of seven Great Grandchildren with one little guy, Matthew, deceased. Ten more Great Grandchildren through marriage. Plus, three Great-Great Grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her mom and dad Frank and Ethel and all of her siblings, Brothers Amos, Obie, Reggie, Milton, Ralph, and Jack. Plus, one sister, Leona. Her husbands RV McCormick, Charlie Scheid, George Hann, Bud Weinsheimer. And one Great Grandchild, Matthew Wilson.
At this point, memorial services will be a small family only event.
I will always remember and cherish your love and friendship as a mother in law. As a mother.
May you be in peace and held in His loving embrace.