Frances Helena "Fran" Paret died at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio in the early hours of July 3, 2007. She was born April 27, 1933 in Del Rio, Texas.
Fran was the second child of Horace Keyes and Eika Mae (Dedo) York Fawcett. As the only girl amongst three boys, Horace Keyes Jr., David York and Curtis James, Fran and her brothers spent alot of time running back and forth from Del Rio to Dolan Creek Ranch.
In 1950 Fran graduated from high school and went on to attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Upon graduation, with a degree in Education, she moved back home to teach. Del Rio is where she met a Captain in the Air Force Reserves, Robert Walter Paret. The handsome couple were married in June of 1955.
Along with keeping busy in the activities of the Officers Wives Club, rearing three children, building homes and businesses Fran also followed one of her passions and went into local politics. She was the first woman City Council member and served the Del Rio community from 1968 to 1978. Always an advocate for children she was also elected President of the State Council of Child Welfare covering 22 Texas counties and was on the Advisory Board of the Peggy Seal Foundation. After several years of state and local politics she returned for a short while to her original career with a new focus on special education then moving on to The Guarantee Department Store.
Some of her many charities and clubs were the Del Rio Garden Club, Council for the Arts, San Felipe Creek Walk Association, Fine Arts and a Red Cross Volunteer.
Fran is preceded in death by her grandparents, her parents and her brother David and is survived by her children Dean Kevin, Robert York and Renee Helena; and grandchildren, Dean, Carol, Amanda and Leslee Paret of Burleson, Texas, Bobby, Carter and Taylor Paret of Richardson, Texas and Kenneth and Renee Paret-McKenzie of San Antonio, Texas; two brothers: H. K. Fawcett Jr. of Del Rio and Curtis J. Fawcett of San Antonio; sister-in-law: Andra Sides of San Antonio; Aunt: Jo Beth Fawcett of Del Rio and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Always put together, always herself, always available when she was needed, Fran was respected and loved by both family and friends. Del Rio won't be quite the same without her.
Honorary pallbearers were John Keyes Finegan, George Whitehead, Walter Weathersbee, Lee Weathersbee, Robert Fawcett, Bill Fawcett, Jim Finegan, David Winters, Edward Fawcett, Daniel Fawcett, Perry Bradshaw, Michael Stool, Joshua Stool and Bobby Page.