Frances "Frannie" Delores Johnson, passed away at her home in Springfield, Missouri on Friday, March 24, 2017.  Born on January 21, 1936 in Ensley, Alabama, she was the daughter of William Thornton Trotter.  Her mother abandoned the home when Frannie and her siblings were young.  The Social Services of Alabama did not feel that her elderly father could care for the three children himself, so this resulted in Frannie moving into the Methodist Children's Home in Selma, Alabama.  That is where she graduated from high school.  This gave her a chance to fulfill her desire to become a registered nurse as the Methodist Children's Home gave her a scholarship to attend nursing school at Mobile General Hospital, where she received her registered nurse degree.

After working as a nurse for the United Mine Workers in Harlan, Kentucky, she joined the United States Air Force.  That is where she met her first husband, Richard Lee Askew, and soon thereafter, her only child, Richard Timothy Askew was born.  She and her son ended up in San Antonio, Texas where she worked as an operating room nurse primarily at Bexar County Hospital and Audie Murphy Veterans Hospital.  It was there that she used her sharp tongue to teach medical students and surgical residents from the University of Texas Medical School the finer points of surgery according to Frannie.

She married Robert David Johnson on May 1, 1987 and then relocated with him to Springfield, Missouri.  She did work in the operating room at Mercy Hospital for the first few years, but then retired from nursing to pursue her final career of enriching the lives of those she came in contact with.  She was known for her generous giving and had many human projects who benefited from her willingness to make their lives better.  She truly left a large footprint on the earth for such a small person.

She was preceded in death by her father, William T. Trotter; her brother, Bill Trotter; and her sister, Noralee Sims; her much beloved grandson, David Molak; and her mother-in-law, Ella Mae Johnson.

She is survived by her husband, Robert D. Johnson; son, Tim Askew; granddaughter, Hannah Askew all of Springfield;  brother and sister-in-law, John and Sara Trotter of Springville, Alabama; sister, Elizabeth Sanford of Petal , Mississippi, and brother and sister-in-law, Donald and Ramona Wilson of Sylacauga, Alabama.  She is also survived by an extended family she had with Robert, all of whom she loved very much.  Matt, Maurine, Cliff and Chris Molak; Michael, Janet, Max and Sophie Molak all of San Antonio, Texas; Marc, Kelly, Luke, Colton and Jack Molak of Austin, Texas; her godchildren, Jennifer Johnson of Chicago, Illinois, Kate Carter of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Chip Johnson of Dallas, Texas.  She was also very close with their spouses and children.  Also Robert's sister, Barbara Brieger and husband, Jerry of Pittsburg, Texas and her close friends, Rhonda and Steve Hill and family of Colleyville, Texas.

Frannie's family wishes to thank the following who gave her exceptional and loving care, Dr. Dom Meldi and Jennifer Baxter, Mercy Internal Medicine; Deb Essary NP, Dr. Rajesh Nair and all the oncologists who preceded him and the staff of Mercy Oncology; Dr. Don Myears, Dr. Stanley Wiggins and the staff of Mercy Cardiology; Dr. Brad Wyrsch, Dr. Robert Mahnken and the staff of Mercy Orthopedics; Dr. Sung Lee, Mercy Neuosurgery; the nurses and staff on units 7A, 5B, and 4K at Mercy Hospital and special caregivers Pam Hunter, Mary Jane McSpadden, Patti McKown, Patricio "Ronny" Romero, Katerina Chubarov and Mercy Hospice.

In keeping with Frannie's wishes, she has been cremated.  There will be a Celebration of her life Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 2 pm at Hickory Hills Country Club.  Please consider this an invitation to anyone that loved Frannie and wants to honor her.

The family also suggests any memorials be sent to the United Methodist Children's Home of Alabama, www.umch.net or the Bone Marrow Foundation, 515 Madison Avenue, Suite 1130, New York, New York 10022.

Online condolences may be left at www.gormanscharpf.com.