Frances Hassler

PRINCETON — Frances Louise Hubbard Hassler, a longtime resident of Princeton from 1945 to 2014, passed away peacefully of natural causes on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, surrounded by family, at the Tender Reflections assisted living facility in DeForest, Wis. She was 95 years of age.

Born on Dec. 12, 1923, in Carthage, Frances was a graduate of Carthage High School and of Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.). With diverse interests in education, music and the sciences, while a student, she performed often as a vocalist, including singing the title role in Verdi’s opera “Aida.”

She and Donald L. Hassler were married on July 15, 1945, and raised their family on a dairy farm south of Princeton, where she lived until 1999, moving to the Clark House following Donald’s death and later relocating to Madison, Wis.

Active in Bureau County for many years as a 4-H Fair judge and leader of the Busy Snaps 4-H Club, Frances was an elementary school teacher in the LaSalle-Peru, Princeton and Oglesby school districts, including having taught in 1947-48 at the one-room Bryant Country School, located on the family farm. She also was a Sunday school teacher and member of St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, and a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Bureau County Genealogy Society, Covered Bridge Quilting Club and the University of Illinois Extension unit in Princeton.

As a musician, Frances performed with the Bureau County Chorus, Homespun Singers, Homestead Players, the Sharps & Flats a cappella ensemble and with St. Matthews’ church choir.

Ever the teacher, she received a “Volunteer of the Year” award in 1995, at age 72, for having taught the most people to read through Illinois Valley Community College’s adult literacy program.

She is survived by five children and their spouses: Ronald E. and Mary Beamish Hassler (Oklahoma City, Okla.), Richard D. Hassler (Madison, Wis.) and Debbie Archuleta Hassler (Chicago, Ill.), Lucinda L. and George E. Prucnell (Channahon, Ill.), B. Suzanne Hassler (Greencastle, Ind.) and Karen E. Hassler (Princeton, Ill.); eight grandchildren: Steven M. Hassler and Robert W. Hassler (Oklahoma City), Regina M. Hassler (Norman, Okla.), Eric B. and Jolie Meshbesher Hassler (St. Louis Park, Minn.), Nadia J. Hassler and Angelina R. Hassler (Madison, Wis.), Nathan C. Prucnell (Channahon, Ill.) and Rachel E. Prucnell (Atlanta, Ga.); and by nine great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; her parents, Mildred and John Hubbard of Carthage; and a son, Roger Lee Hassler.

The family is thankful to all who offered their kindness and support in recent months, including the staff of Tender Reflections and of Agrace Hospice in Madison, Wis.