Frances "Francie" Eleanor (Poindexter) Stevens

Frances Eleanor “Francie” Stevens, 96, of Auburn, Indiana and long-time resident of Brazil, left this earthly world on Saturday, May 24, 2025.

She was born November 26, 1928 in Shoals, Indiana, the youngest daughter of Lloyd Elkin and Harriet Joan (Ellis) Poindexter.

Her father was employed by the Indiana State Department of Highways, so the family moved as his job demanded, from Shoals to LaPorte, and ultimately to Vincennes, where she graduated from Vincennes High School in 1946.

After graduation, she moved back to Shoals and worked at the Shoals Greyhound Bus Station Café where she met her Sweetie, “Jimmy” Stevens, a Greyhound Bus Lines driver from Allensville, Ohio.

She married James Franklin Stevens in Vincennes on September 25, 1949 and they made their first home in Louisville, Kentucky, where she worked as a telephone switchboard operator. They later moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where Jim was based with Greyhound. In 1962, they moved to Brazil, Indiana where Jim took a job with Warren Tire Company. They were married for 51 years until his passing in 2000.

While her children were small, Francie provided daycare in her home. Once her children were all in school, she took jobs outside the home beginning at Paitson’s Hardware, then Van Heusen Windbreaker, and lastly Columbia Records (Sony), where she may have pulled your order.

She was a member of the Happy Homemakers Home Economics Club and also served as a 4-H Leader when her daughters were active in 4-H.

She and Jim were active members of Brazil First United Methodist Church for 56 years.

Francie was an avid walker and could be seen in Brazil making her daily treks around town for many years. She enjoyed sewing, quilting, crocheting, jig-saw and word search puzzles, and playing euchre with her card buddies. She still played her brand of rummy until the week of her passing.

Upon her retirement, she began providing clothing alterations for members of the community and did so until moving to Auburn in 2018 to be closer to her daughter, Julie.

She was predeceased by three sisters: Margaret (who died as a young child,) Winifred Evans of LaPorte and Betty Tierney of Valparaiso.

Francie and Jim were blessed with three daughters who survive: Bev (Frankie) DeOcampo of Napa, California; Susan Clarke of Indianapolis; and, Julie (Bobby) Diederich of Garrett, Indiana; also, surviving are grandchildren Mark Paustenbach, Shawn (Kaye) DeOcampo, Michelle (Tom) Castro, Andrew (Anna) Thomas, Ashley (Rob) Seaman, Cayla (Justin) Veach, Hana (Michael) Hyams and Ryan Diederich and great-grandchildren, Lola and Diesel Veach, Lily Hyams, Ben and Beau Thomas and Tyler DeOcampo.

The family would like to express its thanks to the Miller’s Merry Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation staff of Auburn and Heartland Hospice for their kind and compassionate care during this difficult time.

Graveside services will be held on Friday, May 30, 2025 at 12:00 PM at the Calcutta Cemetery, Carbon, Indiana. 

In lieu of flowers, feel free to make a donation in her memory to the Dementia Society of America or the charity of your choice.

Condolences may be sent to the family at fellerandclark.com and on our Facebook page at Feller and Clark Funeral Home.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Feller and Clark Funeral Home in Auburn.

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