Skip to content

Frances Elaine Lainchbury

November 6, 2018

With sadness, the family wishes to announce the passing of Frances Lainchbury, our wife, mother, grandmother and great-grndmother. Frances was born to Maurice and Grace Lavigne in Pipestone, Manitoba, the youngest of seven children. In 1948 our parents moved us to Cedar, B.C. where we resided for many years.

Predeceased by her parents- Maurice who died in 1958, Grace who died in 1974 and oldest sister Evelyn in 2013. Survived by her husband Norman of 53 years, 2 sons: Kevin (Yuko) of Richmond and Brent (Caroline) ofNanaimo, one step-grandson- Darren, 1 step-granddaughter Clarissa (Spencer), 3 granddaughters- DanaNanaimo, Mio and Leah of Richmond and 2 great-granddaughters- Kaitlyn and Audrey ofNanaimo. She is also survived by two brothers, 3 sisters, in-laws, many nieces and nephews.

Frances received all her schooling in the Nanaimo School District starting Grade 1 at North Cedar Elementary then junior high school at Woodlands and John Barsby and finishing at Nanaimo District Secondary School. She then attended a Business School in Victoria. Her first job after was at the Cassidair airport (now Nanaimo airport). She then went to the Credit Union where she started as a teller then the Bookkeeping department where she was the first operator of the computer system that was set up. She got married in 1965 and when she had children she spent many hours volunteering at the boys' school - hot dog sales, sports events, driving to other activities, played the piano for choir and worked in the classroom helping the teacher. She also did a lot of volunteering in the community - Cubs, Boy Scouts, Softball, Soccer. After her kids were old enough she went back to work at Nanaimo District Secondary in 1978 where she worked in the Prep Room then a Career Resource Assistant and looked after the Scholarship program for the whole district. After 22 years she retired and her and Norman were able to travel to many different places - across Canada to Newfoundland, Cuba, Australia/NewZealand, Yukon NWT. Our son took me to some places - Panama through the canal, Iqaluit, Nunavat, and his father to Florida, and Yellowknife, NWT.

Many thanks to all the staff at the Nanaimo Cancer Clinic. Their compassion and dedication to the patients was very much appreciated. By Frances' request there will be no funeral service or celebration of life.



Your condolences will be approved within one business day. You will need a valid Facebook account. Please email us if you have any questions.