Frances Virginia Doggett (née Owens) was born in Steubenville, Ohio, on September 10, 1927, to Doc Percy Owens and Nellie Beatrice Scruggs Owens. She was the second of nine children.

At an early age, Frances accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Savior and was baptized at Second Baptist Church in Steubenville, Ohio. There she was actively involved in the Sunday School and Baptist Young People’s Union (BYPU).

Frances attended Steubenville Public Schools and graduated at the top of her class from Steubenville “Big Red” High School in 1945. During high school, she was part of a close-knit group which included Marge Locust, Carol Morton, Barbara Sipio, and Nancy Felts. The five of them remained friends for life.

After graduation, Frances became a mortuary apprentice at Brown Williams Funeral Home in Steubenville. When her mortuary science sponsor passed away, she shifted her career path toward nursing and enrolled in the Homer G. Phillips School of Nursing in St. Louis, Missouri. At that time, Homer G. Phillips Hospital was one of the few fully accredited facilities in the United States that offered African Americans training in nursing and other medical professions. Frances excelled in her studies, graduated with honors in 1951, and, after successfully completing the required examination, received her Registered Nurse license from the Missouri State Board of Nursing.

When Frances, a highly qualified black woman, was unable to find work as a Registered Nurse in Steubenville, she relocated to Cleveland. In 1952, she began her nursing career at Mount Sinai Hospital, where she served with dedication for nearly two decades. In the early 1970s, Frances left Mount Sinai and joined Suburban Hospital, later known as South Pointe Hospital. She retired from Suburban in 1992 after many years of faithful service. Firmly believing that “once a nurse, always a nurse,” Frances later worked twice a month with the Cleveland Clinic Healthy Heart Program’s mobile health unit, continuing to serve others until the age of 86. For thirty years, Frances also participated in the Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital Nurses’ Health Study.

On May 29, 1954, Frances married William Harvey Doggett, Jr. Although Frances was Harvey’s senior prom date in 1944, they did not begin dating until she moved to Cleveland. Frances was a devoted wife and loving mother to their two children, Jeffrey and Jennifer. She adored her grandson, Christopher, and she and Harvey spent many cherished days with him in Ohio and Maryland. Frances meticulously planned outings with Christopher, including trips to the zoo, amusement parks, the library, and Guardians and Browns games. She especially enjoyed taking Christopher, along with other children on Stockbridge, to Vacation Bible School at Lee Road Baptist Church. Frances loved her entire family, looked

forward to every family gathering, and never missed a Scruggs or Doggett family reunion! Frances proudly embraced the role as the Scruggs family matriarch, prayed regularly for her Doggett, Scruggs, and extended families; and shared her wisdom in her own unique way.

In the 1950s, Frances and Harvey joined Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church and remained faithful members for more than a decade. In the late 1960s, Frances joined Lee Road Baptist Church and remained an active member until her health began to fail. At Lee Road, Frances served on the Sanctuary Choir, Communion Committee, Food Bank, and Lupus Support Group, as well as regularly attended Tuesday night Bible Study. Each year, Frances looked forward to singing in the Lee Road Cantata.

Frances was blessed to live a full and active life. She loved reading, the theater, concerts, serving others as a volunteer, and traveling with family and friends. Egypt, Greece, Austria, Israel, Alaska, Hawaii, cruises throughout the Caribbean, and Sight & Sound in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, were among her favorite trips. She volunteered regularly with the Lee-Harvard Community Association, Help on Wheels, the Cleveland Playhouse, the Cleveland Zoo, the American Heart Association, and at the Guardians stadium. When Harvey occasionally needed additional delivery drivers for the Meals on Wheels program, Frances volunteered willingly. She thoroughly enjoyed listening to the music of Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, Luther Vandross, and Richard Smallwood and would often sing along. Frances was a member of L’Entre Nous, a women’s social and civic club, and looked forward to attending its meetings and events. Frances maintained lifelong friendships with L’Entre Nous members and sister friends Donnie Burns, Vernada Davis, Laura Dillon, Marilynn Patterson, and Marian Sessor.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents; her loving husband of 64 years, Harvey; and seven siblings, Doc, Conway, Delbert, Dorman, Donald, Eunice, and Catherine. Left to cherish her memory are her devoted children, Jeffrey Doggett (Denise) and Jennifer La Point (Eric) of Maryland; her loving grandson, Christopher La Point; her brothers, Wayne Owens (Barbara) and Rolland Owens (Betty); her sisters-in-law, Byrdie Owens and Catherine Owens Mike; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family, and friends.