Frances Chilton

Frances (Weed) Chilton, 71, of St. Joseph, passed away on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 at Spectrum Lakeland Health – St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will take place on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 at 1 PM at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, with Reverend Dr. Christopher Noffke officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family one hour prior to the service. Memorial contributions may be made to Seven Star Sanctuary & Rescue. Frances was born on March 8, 1948, in Saint Joseph to Edgar & Berniece (Connell) Weed. She attended Benton Harbor High School, class of 1967. Starting at age 15, Frances began working at Muirs Drug Store. For over 30 years she would work in various roles including being the manager of the photo department. On June 30, 1972, she would marry the love of her life, John Chilton, at St. Joseph Catholic Church. They were happily married for 44 years before his passing in 2017. Frances enjoyed antique shopping, studying genealogy, baking cakes for family events and reading books; specifically, Nancy Drew & The Hardy Boys. She was always known to have the most elaborate holiday decorations. For Halloween, Frances would decorate her yard with an 8’ tall wooden Frankenstein and multiple 6’ tall wooden pumpkins and for Christmas, she would have at least five Christmas trees in her house. Frances is survived by her siblings, Judy (Tom) Englesby, Dorothy (Richard) Oberheu, Margaret Weed, Patricia Weed, Edward (Jan) Weed and Stephen Weed; and numerous nieces & nephews. Frances was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; her in-laws, Guy and Violet Chilton; her siblings, Kathleen, Richard, Robert, Thomas, and Kevin Weed; her brother-in-law, Peter Schreyer; and favorite & loving aunt, Margy Weed.