Fran Winkles

Ellen (Frances) Moser Winkles was born in Frederick, Oklahoma on August 23, 1927, living a long life of 97 years!

Fran was the third child of K.C. and Ardis Moser. Her father was a long-time minister who also authored many books, songs and poems. He received lots of criticism from his fellow believers for his beliefs on grace.

Several Church of Christ churches at that time asked him to leave. This would have been in the mid to late 1930's. He went on to teach at LCC Moser Ministry Conference and was invited to share his beliefs on grace.

She attended high school in Oklahoma City and enrolled in ACC in 1945. Her future husband, Walter "Dub" Winkles was returning from WWII to ACC on a basketball scholarship and the basketball player and the cheerleader began dating. They were married on February 8, 1947, in Abilene. Their marriage produced two daughters, Susan and Sara and a son, Shane. At the time of Dub's death, they had celebrated 60 years of marriage.

Her first job was with Riley Maxwell, a local geologist. She also worked for the ACC Credit Union for several years. Fran considered her most fulfilling job, outside the home, to be her career at the Abilene State School. There, she had the privilege of creating a program of activities for the blind residents. This program was well respected as one of the top in the state and was very unique in many ways from other state programs at that time.

Fran was a long-time member of the Abilene Watercolor Society, Creative Arts Club where she served a president for two years and WACU organization, which chose her as Woman of the Year in 1983.

Fran was adventurous, creative and talented, she enjoyed volunteering, painting, knitting and crafting. She volunteered at the Christian Service Center. She was a member of the Hillcrest Church of Christ where she helped with the Caterpillars and Butterflies, a program for young girls.

She loved learning new things and "took on" the computer in her late 60's. She loved auditing classes at ACU. Her main joy in life was her family and their singing voices but especially being pampered by her family.

She was preceded in death by her mother, father, sister, Louise and brother, Duane, her granddaughter, Keri Frances Bass; her son-in-law, Jim Lindsey and her husband, Dub.

She is survived by her daughter, Susan Lindsey of Ft. Worth, her daughter, Sara and Son in Law, Dean Bass of Montgomery, Texas, her son Shane Winkles of Abilene. She is also survived by five grandchildren: Lauri, Melissa, Jamie, Kasey and Kevin and fifteen great-grandchildren.

Mom loved the Lord and His Word. She believed she was saved by the cleansing blood of the Lamb through Grace. She has gone on to her eternal glory and we don't say goodbye, we say" Mom, we love you and we will see you on the other side."

In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to Hendrick Hospice Care in Abilene at

 https://www.hendrickhealth.org/services/hospice-care/give-now/

 or to the Christian Service Center at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=GTA52PTW59J2E

Visitation will be 1:00pm on Saturday, March 8, 2025, with funeral services following at 2:00pm at Hillcrest Church of Christ 605 E. Ambler, Abilene, TX 79601. Arrangements are with The Hamil Family Funeral Home 6449 Buffalo Gap Rd. Abilene, TX. 79606.