Gertie and Henry had a dairy farm near Cache Bay, Ontario where the Cooks had farmed for several generations. Through careful management and hard work they saved enough to send Frances to Guelph to study Veterinary Medicine. This was an unusual choice for a young woman in 1953. Frances had to work hard to earn her place and she did well in her examinations. She met her husband and partner John Leveson Calverley, on the first day as the seating in lecture halls was alphabetical. They fell in love and married in 1955.
After graduation they went west to Saskatchewan to practice veterinary medicine in what were often quite primitive conditions. They loved this pioneering adventure and spoke often of it in later years. On their way west they had passed through Carman and thought it was a nice little town. When Frances was expecting her first child, Earl, they moved to Carman and started both a large and small animal practice.
Two years later, they had a daughter, Michelle and four years on, a second son, Andrew.
Frances always had a wide range of interests and got involved in many clubs and organizations. She had particular interests in gardening, in education, in civic affairs and was sustained by a lifelong Christian faith.
With some friends Frances and John founded the Young Citizen's Group in Carman which was responsible for the establishment of the Boyne Lodge, where Mom spent the last years of her life. She campaigned for a Public Library and made badges for all the neighbourhood kids to wear. She loved to sew and made many pieces of clothing for herself and her daughter.
When they retired Frances and John did a great deal of travelling to Egypt, India, Australia, New Zealand and built themselves a house that gave them a lot of happiness.
Frances was a skilled surgeon and a compassionate veterinarian who refused to dock tails on dogs, as she felt it was cruel.
She was a talented artist who without specialist training could draw animals, buildings and maps accurately and to scale.
She loved to sing in the choir and sang whenever there was an opportunity to do so.
She made a beautiful garden. Sharing it generously with others gave her a great deal of pleasure.
She was always elegant and full of grace.
She leaves behind Earl and Beverly, Andrew and Elizabeth, Michelle and Nigel and granddaughter Amelia.
Beloved mother and grandmother Always loved, always missed.