(315) 894-2211   |   ​(315) 866-0732

Frances was born Frances Ruth Kahrs on September 28th 1918 in Washington DC. She graduated High School in Verona, New Jersey in 1936. She attended the University of Michigan and was initiated into the women's honor society "Mortar Board" in 1939. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts on June 15, 1940. Frances joined the Naval Reserve Midwshipmen's School, Smith College, in Northampton Massachusetts. Upon graduation she became a member of the Navy WAVES in 1943, less than a year after the first female commissioned officer was sworn into active duty in the US Navy. She was on active duty from 1943-1946 in Naval Communications during World War II, serving in several locations including Pearl Harbor, Washington DC and Oahu Hawaii. She returned to active duty from 1050-1953 during the Korean conflict. She and her husband Jack Albers moved to the California deser where she worked for the Board of Civil Service Examiners at Edwards Air Force Base. Frances also worked for NASA at Edwards Air Force Base performing a variety of of Personnel duties. She remained in the Navy Reserves until she retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 1978. Frances enjoyed travel and after retirement she worked as a travel advisor at a local travel agency and took trips overseas to check facilities and verify accommodations. Frances and Jack travelled throughout the US and to Cuba, Mexico, Egypt, Panama, Norway and most of Europe. They lived for several years on the California coast, but the call of the Desert was strong and they ended up moving to Green Valley, Arizona where they spent the rest of their lives. Frances was an active member of the Green Valley Community Church. Frances was pre-deceased by her husband Jack and sister Betty Higgins. She is survived by her nephew Charles Higgins of New Hartford, NY and niece Georgia Helthall of Frederick, Maryland.