Frances Elizabeth Mayhew

Frances Elizabeth (Gause) Mayhew of Grandview, WA passed from this life to her heavenly home on June 23, 2016.  Frances was born November 13, 1926 in Yakima, WA to Howard and Florence (Stevens) Gause.  She grew up in Union Gap, WA in a loving family of nine children, and was influenced greatly by her paternal grandmother, Elizabeth (Granny) Gause.  She attended school in Union Gap and Yakima and graduated from Nazarene Academy High School in Nampa, ID.  In 1948 she graduated from Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, ID with a home economics major and taught one year in Worley, ID.  In the summer of 1949, Frances returned to Union Gap, met and fell in love with the new businessman in town, Garland Mayhew.  After finishing her fifth year at Central Washington State College, they were married June 10, 1950. Frances taught one year at Tieton (WA) High School.  She and Garland then began their dream of owning their own farm.  After moving several times, they ultimately settled in the Grandview area in 1963 where Frances lived until the present. Frances was a life-long learner and avid reader.  In her soft-spoken, disciplined way she guided her children and grandchildren, teaching and mentoring. She faithfully passed along many life lessons and spiritual truths.  She modeled self-discipline, devotion to God and her Lord Jesus Christ, her family, and her church.  For over 70 years she was active in her church, teaching children's Sunday School, Bible Quizzing and missions. She enjoyed family life, working side-by-side with her husband, making a warm and happy home, sharing the wonders of God's beautiful creation through her gift of photography.  She loved to go camping and hiking at LaWisWis campground with Purcell Falls and the Blue Hole being favorites.    

Frances was preceded in death by Garland (Gar), husband of 46 years; her parents; two sisters, Roberta Gause, and Rosemary (Gause) Niles; and grandson Daniel Max Walker.  She is survived by her children, Sally (Jim) Pillers, Suzanne (Dean) Walker, Julie (Sid) Sever, John (Bev) Mayhew, Bill (KayLynn) Mayhew; Sisters, Virginia Manion, Patricia Nalley, Susan Alvin, and Judy Creasy; Brothers, Joe (Nancy) Gause, Ed (Ethel) Gause; 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held at Smith Funeral Home, Grandview, WA on Sunday, June 26, 2016 from 5:00 PM-7:00 PM.  Visitation will be held Monday, June 27, 2016 at 9:00 am. at Grandview Church of the Nazarene, 500 N. Elm Street, Grandview, WA. until the time of the Funeral service at 10:00 am at Grandview Church of the Nazarene.  Memorial contribution may be made to the Garland and Frances Mayhew Scholarship Fund at Northwest Nazarene University in care of Smith Funeral Home, 528 South Eighth Street, Sunnyside, WA  98944. Those wishing to sign Frances’s online memorial book may do so at www.funeralhomesmith.com. Smith Funeral Homes in care of arrangements.

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