Frances Louise Arch
Frances Bailey Evans Arch entered her eternal reward on October 24, 2023. She was born to Louis and Vera Bailey on a dairy farm in Artesia, California on July 24, 1927. The family moved to the Big Sky state of Montana in 1932 during the Great Depression.
She returned to California at the age of thirteen with her mother and five sisters. They immediately attended a Pentecostal church where she gave her heart to the Lord. The church became her whole life for a while.
She met and fell in love with a handsome sailor and was married at the age of fifteen to Jim Henry Evans, Jr. His home port was in San Francisco, so that is where she went to live. Fourteen months later, her only biological child, James Louis Evans, was born.
Frances’ husband was discharged from the Navy in 1945 and they went to live with him in his home town of Homer, Louisiana. He was in a car accident on January 6, 1946 and died 12 hours later. Frances returned to California for a brief period of time and then went to Portland, Oregon to care for her oldest sister, Lillian who had polio.
She became acquainted with the Church of God and soon became very involved with the work of God. She received a definite call to become a missionary, which was consistent with a vision of her childhood. God made it possible for her to attend Lee College in Cleveland, Tennessee. Before her graduation she was appointed to the mission field of Costa Rica.
After many difficulties in obtaining visas, she and her son Jim, along with a co-worker, Mabel Mullins, started their journey. They spent five months in Belize, British Honduras in 1953. From there they went to the Honduran island of Utila for six weeks, and then on to the nearby island of Roatan in 1954, where Frances established churches at the villages of Six Hut, French Harbour, Jonesville, and Helene.
She pastored French Caye and French Harbour for 20 years and continued to pastor the French Caye Church for a total of 50 years!
Frances married Seth Arch on March 30, 1961. She is the biological mother of James Evans who is married to Karen. She has three adopted daughters: Marie Hall, Norma Austin who is married to Ramon, Netty Wagner, and two stepsons: Richard and Leonardo Arch. She has eleven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
Frances loved the Bay Islands of Honduras and the people who live there. The people she served for more than 50 years are her family: brothers, sisters, daughters, sons, and grandchildren.
She has had times of great joy and great sorrow. The greatest joy of all will be when she meets many of you on the other side.
