Frances Rapier
Frances funeral will be held on Friday, November 7, at 12:30 pm at St. Francis of Assisi.
Frances Marie Daleiden Rapier, 94, was born on April 21, 1931, in Shavano Park, Texas by way of Bloomington and Champaign, Illinois, passed away October 22, 2025. Frances was an active member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in San Antonio, TX.
Frances was born in Bloomington, Illinois to Joseph and Emma Daleiden (dec) as the youngest of four children. Mary, age 100, survives in Santa Maria, California. Margaret passed away in 2024, and her beloved brother, Albert predeceased her in 1940.
Frances met the love of her life, James Foster “Fos” Rapier (dec 2020) at Trinity High School in Bloomington, IL. They were married at Holy Trinity Catholic Church on August 8, 1953. They began their incredible 67-year marital journey in Cleveland, Ohio while Foster finished his college degree at John Carroll University. Frances was employed at the Cleveland Clinic as a lab technician.
Foster was called to serve in the United States Army in 1954 and was stationed at Fort Eustis in Newport News, Virginia. While they lived off-base in Williamsburg, VA, Fos and Fran welcomed their first child, Carole Sue (Michael) Clark of Shavano Park, TX in 1955.
A lifelong commitment to “God and family first” was cemented when Foster and Fran moved their young family back to Bloomington where it all began. Theresa Marie (Terry) Swift of Georgetown, IN, was born in 1957 as Foster began his 30-plus year career with The Equitable. Mary Margaret (Tim) Millage of Boerne, TX, was born in 1961. Christopher James (Jill) Rapier was born in 1966.
The family moved to Champaign, Illinois in 1968 with Foster’s promotion. Foster and Fran were a part of the founding members of St. Matthew Roman Catholic Church and School. This parish became the focal point of the Rapier’s life in Champaign.
Fran loved watching her grandchildren and ultimately, great grandchildren, play sports, particularly baseball and softball. She was a knowledgeable supporter that loved a good team win. She was a constant presence, rain or shine, often traveling many miles. Seeing her bundled up for an early morning game was quite a sight!
Upon Foster’s retirement, they spent many wonderful seasons with the Clark family. They were provided with a warm and loving home while participating in the lives of their cherished grandchildren and traveled the world. They added many new friends in Texas and ultimately, called San Antonio their home.
Frances had a great analytical mind for spatial relationships and how things worked. She inherited her natural intellect and curiosity from her beloved father, Joseph. She was a world-class seamstress. She could imagine and execute the most well-designed sewing projects. Her ability to create doll clothes and madeto-order pieces was remarkable to witness. Her vision and structural knowledge made her products built to last.
Fran’s commitment to her family was undeniable. She was the keeper of the faith, a rock of faithful teachings. Her steadfast faithfulness was centered on the teachings of the Catholic church and her German upbringing. She maintained her God-centered family with firmness and great love. She prayed the Rosary often and was deeply devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Liturgy of the Word. The sacrament of the Eucharist sustained Frances for her entire life.
Frances was the beloved grandmother to 12 lifelong admirers and great grandmother to 19 loving devotees. That little family from the early 1950’s became a powerhouse of sweet memories due to Fran’s love of family and especially, Christmases spent together.
Grandma Rapier provided a tremendous consistency for our family. You wanted to please her with your words and actions. She established and enforced the rules of God and family. She was our guiding matriarch in a difficult world and even in death, she continues to walk with us in our daily lives. A seemingly simple life of faith and family is an amazing legacy. Frances is irreplaceable.
The Rapier Family would like to thank the staff of VITAS Healthcare Inpatient Hospice Care for their heartfelt, compassionate care of Frances and her family.
Following a funeral Mass, November 7th at 12:30 pm at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Frances will be buried at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church (San Antonio), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or Wounded Warrior Project.