Frances Stone

August 21, 1934 — May 26, 2024

Herrin

Francis Jane Stone – This is Your Life
Born: 8/21/1934 in Herrin IL in Grandma Hardwick’s house on West Cherry St. in Herrin IL
Story goes that on that day a 16 yr old Moochie Ottolini delivered groceries to the
house and your Dad brought him in to see the baby and her dark head of hair similar to
Moochies and comparing it to dad's bald head.
Mom’s family is a story of many parts.
Sam Hardwick married Ivy after Ivy's husband Joe died, Ivy and Joe had a baby before
Joes death, her name was Fern; Sam Sr. raised Fern as his own and gave Fern his last
name (Hardwick); Ivy and Sam Sr had two more children, Bernese (aunt pug) and Sam
Jr; When Ivy died Sam Sr. was introduced to Francis Baker by his sister Elsie in St.
Louis, Francis was from Kansas; Sam Sr. married Francis Baker and they had a
daughter “Francis Jane Hardwick” our mother
Brothers / Sister:
Sam Hardwick Sr had three children Bernese (Pug) and Sammie with Ivy, Sam adopted
Fern and then had Jane with Francis Baker. The day Jane was born Sammie who was
about 7 said: “well it isn't what I wanted but I guess she can stay”)
Your father, Sam Hardwick Sr. worked for the Illinois Central Railroad and was transferred to
east St Louis when you were about 1 year old, moved to 612 Bond Ave. in East St Louis,
Sammie was about 8 yrs. old at the time.
You remember the neighbors especially a boy named skippy kenily who was of similar age.
They also had a boarder living with them and he worked at a toy factory in St. Louis, his name
was Walter Bullamore. Walter got mom a Christmas present which was a blow up Clown that
you remember to this day.
At 5 yrs. old the family moved back to Herrin (1508 W Monroe),
At 6 yrs. old they moved 1005 W Monroe into a house that Fern and Joe Fiorina owned.
At 10 yrs. Your family bought the house across the street 1008 W Monroe.
You fondly remember the time your Dad would take you to work with him on the train.
You went to St Mary's school (it was new in 1941) and graduated May 1948, then did 2 yrs. in
Catholic high school, which was in the same building across the hall from the 8 grade class
room, then 2 yrs. in Herrin Township HS graduating in May 1952.
From High School you went to Western Union School for 9 weeks in Crawfordsville IN,
graduated, and was assigned to Wheaton IL for 2 weeks, then to Joliet for a few months, bid
on job in Decatur, later turned down the assignment (may have been a boy involved :).
You left WU and started working at a munition factor south of Joliet in the communication
dept. Because of security when a coded message came in they would lock you in a small
1
room to decode it which was the 1st step and then it was sent to another person to decode
what you did.
In May 1953 your mother Francis died and you moved back to Herrin back into your dad's
house with his new wife Laura. (not sure the time line is right, will check this out more).
In Sept 1953 you went to South Bend IN and joined the Holy Cross Nuns
As a 1st yr. postulate you meet a nun a year ahead of you, Sister Joseph Agnes who was raised
by Joseph Kennedy Sr. and was a cousin to John F Kennedy.
Yr. 3 you were a black veiled Novice and during a walk around campus you were introduced
to another older Nun named Marie Von Trapp which at the time didn't mean anything to you
but it did a few years later when they made the "Sound of Music" about her and her family’s
life.
Yrs. 4 & 5 you taught 2nd grade in Miller IN, a few weeks before the end of school you asked
to leave and you were sent back to South Bend IN to the mother house which use to be the
Studebacker Mansion. You stayed there for a few weeks until the dispensation came from the
Vatican. The reason you left was having watched all the children and their parents you
realized you wanted to have children.
Sam Jr and Marge Hardwick picked you up and took you to Herrin and to your Dad’s House on
Monroe. Shortly thereafter you were visiting Fern where you meet Stoney.
On Sept 20, 1958 you got Married to Elbert Franklin Stone (Dad) and became a mother of
three small children overnight (John 1952, Maureen 1954 and Kent 1956).
You then proceed to have three children of you own, Norman - August 25, 1959, Martin - July
22, 1960 and Mary Beth - Aug 27, 1962 and raised the of family of 6 children till they all left
home (You must have been so relieved they actually left ☺)
In Sept 1966 the family moved to Rock falls IL where Dad took over Thompson Marina, we
lived next door. It was hard winter, river froze over, in spring the Ice broke the dam, the river
went mostly dry spoiling all dad's plans and we moved back to Herrin in May 1967.
Once back in Herrin and all the kids were in school you starting working again.
You went to work at Mark Twain boats 1968-69, then Olin's 1969-70
In 1970 the family (minus John and Maureen) moved to Bedford IN as Dad pursued another
Marina opportunity, when it didn't work out the family moved back to Herrin in 1972
You worked at Container Stapling from Nov 1972 thru Dec 1988 when you retired.
On August 6th 1978 you divorced Elbert Stone (Free at last ☺)

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Frances Stone

August 21, 1934 — May 26, 2024

Herrin

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