Frances Ramsey Digh Hardin, 83, died December 21, 2015, after a short decline. She was living in Forest City at the time of her death, but had lived her whole life in Morganton, NC.
Born Virginia Frances Ramsey on September 1, 1932, and known as "Tootsie" throughout her life, she was the youngest of L.E. Ramsey and Ida Mae Winn's eight children. After her mother's death when Frances was less than two years old, she was raised by her older sister, Hazel Jones, and her husband, Jay Jones, owner of Jones Furniture Store in Morganton, who took her in as their own and raised her with their own child, Paula Jones Brake, giving Frances another sister for life.
She attended Lenoir Rhyne College until she was wooed away to marry Melvin Digh who would open Modern Barber Shop in Morganton after their marriage. Melvin's early death in 1980 was a turning point in her life from which she never fully recovered, though she remarried later and lived a happy life with Boyce Hardin until his death in 2003.
Frances was a professional woman, working for Wachovia Bank in Morganton for forty years before retiring; in her various roles with the Bank, from teller to Banking Officer, she organized many community events. She graduated from Morganton High School and kept in touch with her classmates for five decades as one of the organizers of their reunions. An active lifelong member of Calvary Baptist Church in Morganton, NC, she took on leadership roles at work, in the community, and at Church for many years.
Frances is preceded in death by her parents, her "adoptive" parents, all her brothers and sisters, and her two husbands, Melvin Digh and Boyce Hardin, both of Morganton. She leaves behind two children, Mickey Digh (Tammy) of Forest City NC, and Patti Digh (John Ptak) of Hendersonville NC, as well as grandchildren Melvin Digh (Amber) and Natalie Digh (Charles) of Forest City, Emma Ptak of Durham, NC, and Felix Ptak of Hendersonville NC. She also leaves behind five great-grandchildren: Cody, Zoe, Savannah, Finn, and Bryndle Digh, all of Forest City NC, and is survived by her "sister," Paula Jones Brake (Henry) as well as extended family and friends who cheered her life immeasurably.
Frances will be laid to rest in Burke Memorial Park next to her first husband, Melvin Digh. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Hospice of Rutherford County, P.O. Box 336
Forest City, NC 28043.
Arrangements are being made by Harrelson Funeral Home in Forest City, NC
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