Frances J. J Smith

Frances was born in a small farming town in California. She and her husband reside in Western North Carolina. Together they have three daughters and seven grandchildren. Frances is Hispanic and has six other siblings who currently reside in California. As Frances reflected on her life, she could see that her parents wanted the best for all of their children, as many parents do. Even though they both had jobs to support all their 7 children, it was still a struggle to make ends meet. For their summer vacations as teenagers, they all worked in agriculture as fruit laborers in California. They sliced peaches/apricots for the drying process, and most of all harvested grapes, to help buy those extra school clothes they needed. The pay wasn't great, but their summer tans were fabulous. She remembers her father saying, "You kids better get a good education, or you're gonna be stuck out here in the fields the rest of your lives." Frances has never forgotten that. They never missed church on Sunday's. She could see by their hard work, their love, discipline and what dedication to God was like. Their parents are now deceased, but Frances and her siblings keep their family traditions by debating whose house to have Thanksgiving, and Christmas gatherings. They all still keep in contact and love each other deeply.