Fran Hood, Oak Lawn's Oldest Resident, Dies At 105

OAK LAWN, IL — Frances “Fran” Hood, one of Oak Lawn’s oldest residents, died Feb. 23 at age 105. Fran received hundreds of good wishes from area residents on her birthday last September, where she enjoyed a birthday breakfast at a Worth restaurant.

She was born in Chicago Sept. 19, 1917 to the late Bartholomew and Josephine, (Shover) O'Mara, the first of their 13 children. Fran spent much of her adult life in the Whiting, Indiana, area, where her husband, Harper, worked for Amoco.

The mother of five daughters, Fran never let distance keep her from traveling to visit them or any of her 10 grandchildren’s milestone events.

Her granddaughter, Elizabeth Sillasen, recalls her grandmother shamelessly spoiling her grandchildren with candy and other treats.

“I’d ask her, ‘can we eat this now,’” Sillasen said, “and she’d reply, ‘I didn’t buy it for you to look at.’”

Until recently, Fran lived in Oak Lawn with one of her daughters, and was staying in Crown Point with another daughter.

Fran outlived her husband, Harper; daughter, Karen; one granddaughter, two grandsons, four brothers, and seven sisters.

She leaves one sister, Ellen Boyer, of Pennsylvania; daughters: Charlene (Joseph) Nanista, Nancy (Gene) Vetter, Gail Velten, Christine (Christian) Beezhold; eight grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation for Fran will take place Thursday, March 2, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Chapel Lawn Funeral Home, 8178 Cline Ave., Crown Point, IN. A memorial service will immediately follow at 3 p.m. She will be laid to rest at a later date at Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, kindly donate in Frances “Fran” Hood’s honor to St. Jude's Childrens Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or online at St. Jude Donors.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at Chapel Lawn Funerals for the Hood family.