June 23, 2020
Frances Mary Jenkins passed away peacefully on June 23 2020 at the age of 87, leaving behind her two children Chris Jenkins and Cathy Jenkins and her three grandchildren: Ryan, Ciara and Kael. She was pre-deceased by Tony Jenkins, her beloved husband of 57 years of marriage.
Fran was successful in all aspects of her life. She started a career in sculpture and her work was sold in galleries throughout North America. She influenced a generation of stone carvers with lifelike, sometimes massive, stone sculptures. Her work is now in numerous private collections worldwide, including the permanent collection of the National Wildlife Museum in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Fran enjoyed similar success in her other career as a prospector. Starting with a two week prospecting course at the age of 42, along with her dear friends the Cameron family, she became a legend among those in the BC mining community, with numerous discoveries of viable mineral claims. Soon she was renting helicopters and camping on the tops of mountains. One of the discoveries was so exciting that her picture was featured on the cover of the prestigious Northern Miner magazine.
But before all the success and acclaim in her professional careers, Fran was first, and foremost, a devoted mother and wife to her beloved family. She was the untiring centre of her household, encouraging her children to freely pursue their interests while she took care of house and home. It was a sanctuary for friends and the neighbourhood kids alike. Her loss will be felt by friends and admirers far beyond the bereaved members of her family.