Frances Margaret Germeroth passed away on January 2, 2025, at the age of 96. Frances, a longtime parishioner of St. John the Apostle Church, was a resident of Oregon City, and was born on May 27, 1928, in Hillsboro, Oregon, to Amos Z. and Wilhelmina LaHaie.
Even at an early age, Frances developed a strong devotion to her Catholic faith. That devotion was evident when she was 14 years old, becoming the “official” church organist for the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Verboort, Oregon. She would tell how she would have to catch the early morning bus with the shipyard workers going to work to get to the church for practice during the week, and then back again with her parents and siblings on Sunday to play the huge organ the church had back then. She played for the church for approximately 10 years.
Frances had a “perpetual joyful” spirit and genuine positive outlook on life that was contagious and self-evident. You could just sense that being around her or see it in her smile. She was comfortable with and enjoyed being with everyone she met, giving them her undivided attention and respect, and many of those that met her would say the same thing about her. She had the ability to identify the goodness in everyone, and she also had, what others describe, as a “firecracker” sense of humor.
Frances married Charles R. Germeroth on October 1, 1952 and settled in West Linn, Oregon. They had four children together, Craig (deceased), Bradford, Chantal and Michelle. Frances was also devoted to her family, eventually raising four children on her own, and with help from her parents.
Frances’ grandparents were Felix Fernando and Chantal Margaret (Bertrand) LaHaie, parents Amos Z. and Wilhelmina (Vandervelden) LaHaie.
Survived by: son Bradford Germeroth, daughters Chantal Germeroth, Michelle (Germeroth) Miller, daughter-in-law Jan (Nichols) Germeroth, grandson Chase Germeroth and his wife Christina (Grant) Germeroth, and soon-to-be great grandson Cash Germeroth.
The funeral Mass service for Frances will be held at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in Oregon City, Oregon, on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 11:00am (rosary precedes starting at 10:30am). Burial will be at Visitation Cemetery, Verboort, Oregon. Her family will greatly miss her, but her spirit will remain with them always. For this, the family is grateful to God.
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