Frances May (Watenpaugh) Croff-Garren was born on March 16 1921 in Rainer Oregon and passed peacefully into the loving arms of Jesus at Timberhill Assisted living on Sunday, Feb 9 2025 at the age of 103 yrs 11 months. She will be greatly missed by her many family members and friends. Frances was the daughter of Harold and Ethel (Tharp) Watenpaugh. Her brother Frank passed away in 2015. Harold was a teacher and moved frequently from one school to the next so Frances lived in Ranier, Scio, Jefferson, Falls City, Albany, Tangent, Junction City and Corvallis, She made lifelong friends in each. Her hardest move was from Junction City as an 8th grader to the farm on 53rd St. to start high school in Corvallis where she knew no one. She made friends quickly and participated in the band (clarinet), chorus, and many activities and classes often walking home the 5 miles from CHS to the farm. Frances met her future husband, Howard L. Croff, at the Wesley Foundation of the 1st Methodist Church in Corvallis in 1940. He was pursuing an Engineering degree at Oregon State College and she in Education & Home Economics. They were married on March 29, 1942. Upon graduation from OSC, they immediately boarded a bus and traveled across the country to Pennsylvania and then Ohio. Their first child, Mary Frances (1944-), was born in Lima Ohio. Frances had many funny stories to share about their t ime there including "smelling burnt beans" over the telephone in a nosey neighbors attempt to eavesdrop on the party line, Howard's severe sun bun where he had to soak in a bathtub of cool salt water to ease the pain, living in a one room apartment, having no transportation. Many of her stories are captured in an autobiography "Count Your Blessings: 1 2 3 4 …" published in 2020 chronicling her first 100 years of life. In 1944, Howard joined the U. S. Navy with the intent of becoming a radio technician. Frances visited him in San Diego just before he shipped out for overseas duty on Okinawa, Japan. Upon his return and honorable discharge from the Navy in late 1945, he and Frances moved to the Farm where she continued to live until her 102nd birthday and her move to Timberhill Assisted Living. Except for the 2 years back east, Frances lived on the farm from 1937 -2023, 87 years! There they set up a dairy which they operated from 1946-1965. Many of her most memorable stories are also chronicled in the book, including the Columbus Day Storm, power outages, "the cows are out" April Fool's Day tricks from her pesky brother Frank whom she loved so dearly. While on the farm in 1947 Frances' 2nd daughter, Kathleen Louise (1947-2021) was born. Kathy was the cutest little bubbly blond that graced the earth and was loved so much by grandparents, parents, cousins, neighbors, and all. Sixteen months after Kathy's birth, Frances' 3rd child, Robert Howard (1948-) was born. Kathy and Bob were best friends throughout life and often mistaken for twins instead of the younger sister and oldest son… (He was never the baby of the family… always the oldest son.) In 1957 Howard began teaching Engineering at OSC and Frances took on responsibilities of the dairy while Howard taught during the day. Her typical days were: up at 4:30 to milk 120 head of mixed breed cows and clean the barn while Mary got herself, Kathy and Bobby ready for school, go inside for breakfast which Mary had made, say good bye to the kids, do housework, chores, shopping, greet the kids at the bus stop at 4:00 pm, snacks, go out with Bob to milk the cows at 4:30, greet Howard from the milking parlor when he got home from teaching and came out to help finish up the milking. They she would head into the house and supervise homework and inside chores while Howard finished up in the Barn and came in for a late family supper around 7:30 pm. Many happy hours were spent, sitting on the hearth of the fireplace eating popcorn, listening to the events of the day from her family, praying and sending the kids to bed. When asked by her doctor a year ago, what was the secret to her long life, she responded "lots of hard work and love of family." I am sure the Doctor had no idea how hard Frances really did work. Frances and Howard attended church together during their entire 55 years of marriage and Frances was always involved in bible studies, 39rs fellowship, missions work, sewing circles and many church activities. They were active in the 1st Methodist church, then Suburban Christian Church (closer to their farm). After Howard passed in 1997, Frances became a member of 1St Baptist Church of Corvallis. It was at FBC that she met a wonderful friend and OSU professor Ralph Garren. Ralph had lost his wife to cancer. Ralph and Frances married in 2002 and lived on the farm. They added on to the small farmhouse in 2004 with a master bedroom & bath. Frances and Ralph filled each other's loneliness in such a loving and beautiful way. Ralph was a beautiful writer and poet, leaving many godly writings for all to enjoy. Ralph passed away in 2009 from cancer and Frances was alone again, but never without so many good friends and loving family. One of the most difficult times in Frances' life was the loss of her daughter Kathy to cancer in January of 2021. Kathy was diagnosed with liver duct cancer in 2016 and given 3 months to live. Because of the diligence and expertise of her daughter Fran, an RN, she was able to participate in several cutting edge studies which extended her life for nearly 5 years, long enough to get to know her 2 new twin grandchildren Aiden and Esther. Frances dearly loved the twins and we believe that their presence helped her through the incredibly difficult loss of Kathy. Frances had a serious medical surgery in Feb. of 2021 and had a difficult time recovering from the anesthesia. Bob and Mary took turns living at the farm with her for over a year. In March 2022, she was placed on hospice for several months, not expected to live much longer, then miraculously improved and as the Lumina Hospice team marveled, she graduated from hospice to independent living again! As she improved, Mary and Bob were able to move back home but the isolation proved too much for her and she decided to move Timberhill Place, Assisted living in May of 2023. It was a difficult decision, after 87 years on the farm but she soon reconnected with old friends and made many new ones. The Timberhill staff and residents were so caring and such a joy in Frances' life! On her 103rd birthday, the family held a party for her and many residents and family were able to attend. Bob created a memory book for her that she loved to show to all who visited. On Tuesday, Feb 4th, Frances began to fail physically and family was called. She had many visitors in her last days, still recognizing and greeting friends and visitors even on Saturday, the day before her death. With Bob at her bedside on Sunday morning, she peacefully transitioned into eternity to greet her savior and so many loved ones who had gone before. Frances was preceded in death by husband Howard Croff, husband Ralph Garren, Parents Harold & Ethel (Tharp) Watenpaugh, Grandparents Frank Martin Watenpaugh & May (Cory) Watenpaugh, Benjamin Tharp and Arminda (Large) Tharp and many other relatives of the Eddy, Tharp, Cory and Workman families. Frances is survived by: Her daughter Mary Bertun (1944-), and her family: Granddaughter Anna (Bertun) Loving & husband Don Loving Great Grandson Michael Loving & wife Kassandra Loving Great greatgrandchildren Alexander Loving & Toriann Loving Great granddaughter Elle Loving Granddaughter Elizabeth Bertun & husband Michael Bateman Great grandchildren Jack Bjorge, Kirsten Bjorge, Peter Bjorge Her daughter Kathy (1947-2021) Grandson Ben Nissen & wife Kricket Great grandchildren Bailey Nissen, Bradley Nissen, & Kalvin Nissen Granddaughter Frances & husband Derek Great grandchildren Aiden & Esther Her son Bob (1948- Granddaughter Lissa (Croff) Bales & husband Dwight Bales Great granddaughter Hannah (Bales) Wakefield & husband Simeon Great great-granddaughter Dani Great granddaughter Lydia (Bales) Diaz & husband Carlos Diaz Great great-grandson Giovanni Diaz Great granddaughter Sarah (Bales) Ariel & husband Benaya Ariel Great great-granddaughter Felicity Ariel Grandson Troy Croff & wife Sonya Croff Great granddaughter Samantha (Croff) Ikea & husband Taren Ikea Great grandson Jacobe Croff & wife Lauryn Croff Great great-grandson Louie Croff Great grandson Carlin Croff Granddaughter Heidi (Croff) Hopkins & husband Matthew Hopkins Great grandson Gabriel Hopkins Great granddaughter Cadence Hopkins Great grandson Samuel Hopkins Granddaughter Katie (Croff) Pool & husband Shawn Pool Great granddaughter Jeslyn Pool Great grandson Dylan Pool Great granddaughter Heather Pool Great granddaughter Kaylie Jo Pool Granddaughter Angela (Croff) Wilson & husband Tim Wilson Great granddaughter Abigail Wilson Great grandson Isaac Wilson Great grandson Elijah Wilson Great granddaughter Audrey Wilson