To those that climbed in Alaska in the late 70s into the 80s and 90s, Frances was a fixture at the "landing strip." She handled the radio chores for the bush pilots, was a font of information, seemed to speak a dozen languages, played her violin at odd hours of the night, occasionally handed you a beer coming off a route, and often sat sunning herself on nice days. When she found out she had cancer she decided to quit her job and head north to Alaska.