Fran Reneau, formerly a twenty five year resident of Ocean Springs, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 27, 2012 surrounded by her family in Waleska, GA.
Fran was born in Jackson, MS on April 9, 1930 to the late Frank and Etta Henderson. During WW II, at the age of 15, she worked at the Mississippi Ordnance Plant in Flora, MS. She also worked at the F.W. Woolworth in Jackson as well as McRae’s Department Store where she was a live model. In the mid fifties she moved to California where she worked at Crown Zellerbach and as an exercise assistant for Jack LaLanne. In the 60’s and 70’s Fran served as a volunteer nurse for the American Red Cross, she was the secretary of the American Legion Post 11 in Laurel where she directed the Girls State Program. Later in life she, with her life partner Alton Wescovich Sr., formed a successful security business called Coastwide Security. Their company protected casinos under construction across the coast of Mississippi and during hurricane Katrina. She was an active member of the Ocean Springs Senior Center for 20 years. In her final years she moved to Georgia to be with her daughters and grandchildren.
Fran was preceded in death by her oldest son, Kerry Van Hughes; her sister, Doris Louise Cranford and her brother, Dwight Fred Henderson.
She is survived by her children, William Frank Hughes Sr., Emmalie Blaisdell Luikart and Cynthia Lee Reneau and her step-children, Arcola Hughes Sr. and John Allen Hughes. Fran is also survived by her sisters, Bobbie Evelyn Blaisdell, Shelby Lee Callis and 17 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be on Saturday, June 2, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home. Friends may visit from 10:00 a.m. until service time. Interment will follow in Evergreen Cemetery in Ocean Springs.