Frances "Fran" Darlene Sooter, 85, died in Pawnee, OK at her Southern Oaks home on April 9, 2023. Her funeral will begin 3:00 p.m. Friday, April 14, 2023 at the Strode Funeral Home Chapel in Stillwater. Burial will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Strode Funeral Home and Cremation is in charge of the arrangements.
Fran was born on January 25, 1938 in Minot, North Dakota to Kenneth Nelson and Eleanor Frances Zeitz Swor. After leaving her grandmother's café she met and married Harold Guinn, and after that marriage ended in divorce, she married Raymond Sooter.
Along with her daughter and son-in-law, Fran attained her GED in 1987. She had a great love for cooking that began at a young age. She grew up in the restaurant business owned by her grandmother from the age of six. Later she cooked for Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity for 13 years before finally opening her own restaurant. Fran and Leroy Briscoe opened the Gateway Family Restaurant in Stillwater and later she moved to Glencoe and opened Fran's Café. She also worked for Sangre/Keystone Foodservice before retiring.
Preceding her in death were both parents; her second husband Raymond; son Thomas Guinn; niece Desiree Thoyre; nephew Brian Kubik and grandson Brent Guinn.
Survivors include her partner, Leroy Briscoe; son Tim and his wife Maryland Guinn of Claremore; son Terry and his wife Lori Guinn of Enid; daughter Shelly and her husband Russell Andrews of Stillwater; and daughter-in-law Cindy Guinn of Tuttle. In addition, is a brother Eddy and his wife Margaret Swor; sister Judith Mast; sister Barbara and her husband Rick Kubik; as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren great-great grandchildren.
Those wishing to honor Fran's memory may do so by contributing to the organization of your choice.
The family would like to extend its appreciation to all those that offered support and encouragement to Fran during her 85 years of life.
Condolences may be sent to the family and an online obituary viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.