One of the most giving spirits of this earth has now passed through to another realm. On Monday, August10th, at 2:44P.M., Frances Elrod Hayes died at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, two of her beloved grandsons, Mark and Danny, at her side. Many other treasured family members had just left. With no fanfare or advance warning, Mrs. Hayes simply slipped away as though a wisp of smoke. Very healthy until recent years, Alzheimer's Disease had begun to take its toll. And, very suddenly, many health problems began to assail her. In the end, her nearly 95-yr.-old body could not fight these any longer. Born August 22, 1920, to Joseph Marion Pope and Gladys (Sloan) Pope, Frances Arminta Pope came into the world in Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Her father, a trainman, moved the family to Monette, Missouri, and then Muskogee, Oklahoma, where Frances lived for c. 48 years. She married at the tender age of 15 in 1935 one William Jasper Elrod. Their union produced daughter Toka Elrod Whitman and Joel Elrod. Mr. Elrod died in 1979. Three years later Frances embarked on a second and very happy marriage to Lloyd Hayes and relocated to his home in Checotah, Oklahoma. Mr. Hayes passed away of cancer in 1989, lovingly tended at home till the end by his wife. Later, Frances and Bernard Steinbeck shared a lovely autumnal relationship until his death in 1999. Not long afterward, her beloved eldest grandson returned from a long sojourn in California to live with her for what turned out to be the last 13 1/2 years of her life. They were quite well-known around Checotah, with him pushing her about town in a wheelchair the last 3 years. Before that, Frances had driven her own car until the age of 90, could do a cartwheel until 85, and passionately loved the 'Senior Dance Circuit" in Eastern Oklahoma. She and her cousin, Reba Henry, close as sisters, loved to attend these functions together, they and their consorts 'cutting many a rug!' Vibrant, always, Frances loved her family and friends and was a flower of this earth to them. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Mildred Pope Layman; a brother, Harley Pope; cousin Reba Henry; dear grandson Harley Whitman; fond friend Buck Roan; and all of her cousins except Patti Vines Scheff of Fairhope, Alabama, the sole remaining one .They had become increasingly close in recent years. Frances is survived by grandson Mark Whitman of the home; daughter Toka Whitman of Checotah and spouse W.T.; and son Joel Elrod of Muskogee and wife Johnnie Sue. Also by grandsons: Daniel Whitman and wife June; Todd Whitman and wife Deborah; Lance Whitman and wife Kristi; Brett Elrod and wife Marisa; Joseph Elrod and wife Candice. And by granddaughters: Deborah Whitman Gava and husband Michael; Lisa Whitman Dotson and husband Paul; Andrea Elrod Menie; Angel Elrod Bradshaw; and Monica Hansen. She is also survived by a host of great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandkids, one of whom frequented her bedside at the hospital, brightening it with the special joy of a child. Fare thee well, darling mother and grandmother, fond friend, bright star, until we are together again...