Obituary of Frances V. James
Frances V. James of Houston passed away at her home on November 2, 2017. Fran was born on November 30, 1924 in Black, Alabama to Benjamin Lee Van Landingham and Betty Florence McKenzie Van Landingham. She attended Geneva High School in Geneva, Alabama and graduated in 1941. During World War II she worked for government agencies in Mobile, Alabama and Washington, D.C., and after the war in Guam. During the Korean War, while working at Fort Rucker, Alabama, she met Master Sergeant Larry James of Houston. They married in 1952, moved to Houston, and later had two sons, Stephen and David. In the 1970s Larry and Fran went their separate ways but remained friends until Larry’s death in 2014.
Fran was kind and generous, articulate and well-read, and above all, independent. In the 1960s, it was unusual for women to work outside the home, but Fran wanted a career of her own. As soon as her children were school-age, she enrolled at the University of Houston and earned a college degree, taking classes part-time. She worked for many years as an accountant for businesses such as Crane-Maier & Associates, Raymond International, and Kaiser Engineers.
She was an avid gardener, had a designer’s eye for decorating, and was skilled as a seamstress. She had many friends and was a long-time member of St. Thomas More Catholic Church of Houston.
Fran was part of a large and loving family. She was preceded in death by her parents and by her sister, Jimmie Lou Shelton, and her brothers Terry Van Landingham, Bernard Van Landingham, Arthur Van Landingham, Walter Van Landingham, and Randall Van Landingham; her niece Patsy Whatley, and her nephews, Cary Van Landingham, Jerry Van Landingham, and Kim Van Landingham. She is survived by her sons, Stephen James and David James of Houston; sister, Sally Bell of Fallon, Nevada; nieces, Glenda Lichaa of Staten Island, New York, Renee Hodges of Memphis, Tennessee, Jill Van Landingham of Saginaw, Michigan, and Patti Phipps of Geneva, Alabama; nephews Ron Bell of Reno, Nevada, Tim Van Landingham of Houston, Jay Van Landingham of Bay City, Michigan, Kevin Van Landingham of Blacksburg, South Carolina, and Darrin Van Landingham of Birmingham, Alabama, and their spouses.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 10, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. at the Chapel of the Angels, Forest Park Lawndale, 6900 Lawndale Avenue, Houston. There will be a period for visitation prior to the services and interment will follow.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her name to the University of Houston Libraries, Special Collections, 4333 University Drive, Houston, Texas 77204-2000.
