Obituary: Frances Meyer Cody, 94, Hood River

Frances Meyer Cody passed away on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023, at the age of 94 after a fulfilling and contributing life. Fran was born July 26, 1929, in Miles City, Mont., to Lars and Maria Meyer, Swedish immigrants.

She lived the first six years of her life on the family homestead in Rock Springs, Mont., where she attended a one-room school. Fran was the youngest of five siblings, 16 years younger than her older sister. As her parents did not speak English very well, she acted as their interpreter as young as the age of 4. After her father was killed in an open pit coal mining accident, the family moved to Miles City, where she graduated from Custer County High School. During her high school years, she worked for a local florist shop, played piano for her church services, and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Upon graduation, she left Montana to attend and graduated from Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore., with a degree in education. To help with her educational costs, one of her jobs was as a nanny for a local attorney and his family. After graduating in 1952, she accepted a teaching position at Hood River High School where she taught typing, shorthand, English, and journalism. She was transferred to the “new” Hood River Valley High School in 1971. Fran retired from her career in education in 1978. She loved teaching, especially at the “old” high school. She enjoyed attending class reunions and many of her past students continued to keep in contact with her over the years.

During her first year of teaching at HRHS, she met a local boy who had returned from serving in the US Army in Korea. Charles “Chuck” Cody was persistent, and they were married on July 14, 1953. They temporarily moved to Miles City. After the birth of their first son, Sam, on Oct. 10, 1954, they moved back to Hood River, where Fran resumed her teaching career. Two more sons were born, Glen in 1956 and Lee in 1958. In 1965, Fran and Chuck purchased 16 acres of orchard with a shop building that they lived in for a year before remodeling. Fran always was able to create a loving home for her family. While they both worked their full-time jobs, they worked hard to make a go of the orchard. At the time of her death, she still owned the house, which she was able to remain in until recently through help from her family, especially the loving care of her grandson John Cody.

Shortly after her retirement from the Hood River County School District, Fran opened and operated Cody’s Fruit and Flower, a flower shop in downtown Hood River in the Paris Fair annex building. She also enjoyed this pursuit. After selling her store, she took a job as manager of the Hood River County chapter of the American Red Cross. Her next vocation was as a liaison for the Hood River Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. During her tenure, she helped to start and develop the successful Hood River Classic horse show which was a fundraiser for the hospital auxiliary. This past year, she was honored to be selected as one of the women featured in The History Museum of Hood River’s “Women Who Shaped Hood River History” exhibit.
After permanent retirement, Fran continued to love cooking, gardening, playing the piano, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a long-time member of Riverside Community Church.

Frances was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, all of her siblings, and daughter-in-law Rosa Cody. She was also preceded by her mother-in-law and most of her brothers/sisters-in-law. She is survived by her sons, Sam (Isa) Cody of Mesa, Ariz., Glen (Donna) Cody of Parkdale, Ore., and Lee (Pam) Cody of Hood River.  Also surviving are her grandchildren John Cody, Maria Cody, Matt Cody, Audra Cody, Kylie Draper, Katlin Cody, Makenzie Cody, Sean Borton, Brandi Borton, Lisa Perry, Rachel Sherrell, and Maddi Perry and their spouses/friends. She adored her many great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Sally Cody of Ontario, Ore., and many nephews and nieces.

A memorial service is planned for June 7, 2024, at 2:00 P.M. at Andersons Tribute Center (1401 Belmont Ave, Hood River, Oregon. Memorial contributions can be made to the Cody Family Fund in the care of the Gorge Community Foundation (PO Box 1711, Hood River, OR 97031), supporting the Hood River County Education Foundation, or a charity of choice.