Frances (James) Kirven

Frances James Kirven, age 74, of Cashiers, NC passed away on Monday, January 1, 2018 at her home surrounded by her loving family.  Frankie was raised in Mt. Airy, NC and was the daughter of the late Walter Scherer James and Frances Foy James.  She attended Salem College for two years and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she met her late husband, James Dupont “Tippy” Kirven, III on a blind date.  They shared 49 years of marriage before his passing on the same day (January 1st) in 2014. 

After college, Frankie and Tippy settled in his hometown of Columbus, GA where she taught first grade at Clubview Elementary and Brookstone School.  During this time, she also obtained her Masters in Early Childhood Education from Columbus State University.  She was involved in her communities, serving as President of the Junior League of Columbus from 1983-1984, being active in her churches, serving at the Cashiers Community Library, and being involved in the Cashiers Chapter of P.E.O.  She loved God, her family, and her friends, and she always put others ahead of herself. 

She is survived by her three sons: James Dupont Kirven, IV and his wife, Jan, of Summerfield, NC; Stephen Scherer Kirven and his wife, Rita, of Taylors, SC; Foy Alexander Kirven of Columbus, GA; and five grandchildren: Chase White and his wife, Stephanie, of Raleigh, NC; Ashton Kirven of Summerfield, NC; Grace Kirven, James Kirven, and Will Kirven of Taylors, SC.  She is also predeceased by her sister, Scherer James Easa of Oahu, Hawaii.

The family would like to thank her caregivers, Willean Stiwinter, Genise Humphrey, and Carolyn Campbell, as well as all of the wonderful staff at Hospice Four Seasons for their compassionate care of Frankie. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church in Columbus, GA, Cashiers United Methodist Church in Cashiers, NC, or Hospice Four Seasons in Hendersonville, NC. 

A memorial service will be held at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Columbus, GA at 2:30pm on January 12, 2018 with a reception to follow at the church. 

Bryant-Grant Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.  Online condolences may be made by visiting bryantgrantfuneralhome.com.

 Service Information