Mrs. Frances Pappas Griffith, of Cedartown, Georgia, passed away May 19, 2009. She was born April 25, 1925 in San Francisco, California and lived there until, as a young adult moved to Lake Placid, New York. There she pursued a career in ice-skating. After a few years she returned to San Francisco to teach ice-skating, then moved to Atlanta in the early 1960's to continue her career in teaching. Her students included an Olympic skater and several others that skated in the Ice Capades. She loved teaching ice-skating, sewing for herself and family, creating many costumes for herself and students, traveling, and being an Aunt.

Frances won several Ice Skating awards and competitions. She skated with Holiday on Ice for about five years. She was part owner in The Igloo Skating Rink in Buckhead until 1975, when she married Frank whom she met on one of her many travels. The couple lived in countries all over the world: the Philippines, Indonesia, Iran, and Sudan, until his job with Lockheed brought him back to Atlanta. Frances and Frank decided to settle in a small town in northwest Georgia.

Frances was a member of St. Bernadette Catholic Church. Over the years in Cedartown, Frances became a member of the Garden Club, Women's Club, and Polk County Historical Society; she also volunteered at the Samaritan House and the local Soup Kitchen. She was an adventurous, challenging, giving, and loving person.

Frances was preceded in death by husband, Frank W. Griffith; parents, James and Mari Pappas; sister, Friny Veon; brother-in-law, Jack Veon; nephews, Phillip Veon and Don Griffith; sister-in-law, Ann (Griffith) Shannon Saffer.

Frances is survived by nieces, Claire Patrick and Ellen Snow; nephews, Steven Veon, Thomas Veon, William Veon all of California; aunt, Libby Buice; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Mack and Sara Ann Griffith of Buchanan; step-daughters, Lynn Ferguson of California, Michelle Armstrong of Nevada and (Edith) Edie Sutton of Georgia. Grandchildren, Trish, Wes, and Sierra, great-grandchildren, and numerous great nieces and nephews also survive.

The family would like to thank Cedar Valley Nursing Home for their caring and compassionate staff, caretakers Pam Gray and Nicole Alexander who treated her with love and care, her long-time friends of this community, and Father Rafael Castano.

The funeral mass will be conducted Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 101 S. College St., Cedartown. The rosary will be at 5:00 p.m. Saturday at St. Bernadette.

Flowers will be accepted, however, memorial donations can be made to St. Bernadette Catholic Church, 101 S. College St., Cedartown, GA 30125 or The Samaritan House, 302 Wissahickon Ave., Cedartown, GA 30125.

The Olin L. Gammage and Sons Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for Mrs. Frances Pappas Griffith.