WINTER HAVEN - Frances Buchanan James of Winter Haven passed away Thursday, March 5, 2009 at the Spring Lake Nursing Center from respiratory failure.  She was 87. 

A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, born July 26, 1921 to Dr. & Mrs. L.T. Buchanan, Frances moved here in 1953, moving here from Laurinburg, NC.  She graduated from Laurinburg High School in Laurinburg, NC in 1938, and received her B.A. degree in Elementary Education in 1942 from Meredith College in Raleigh, NC, where she was also the May Queen.  Frances taught school in Sanford, NC from 1942 to 1947.  She married her husband, Hinton James, Jr. November 6, 1947, and worked with him at their business:  Polk Tractor Company until retirement.  Frances has been a member of the First Baptist Church of Winter Haven since 1954, where she was a Sunday school teacher, and she was Volunteer of the Year for the Winter Haven Hospital Auxiliary.  Frances also enjoyed tennis in her younger years, and gardening.   

Preceded in death by her husband, she is survived by her children:  Frances (Jon) Brown of Auburndale, FL, Hinton "Bo" ( Evie) James, III, Elizabeth "Bet" (Larry) Tucker, and Susan (Tom) Davidson, all of Winter Haven, FL.  Frances also has a brother:  William Campbell Buchanan of Kannapolis, NC, and her grandchildren:  Amy James King, Hinton "Jay" James IV, Meri Elisabeth Brown Weber, Emily Brown, Alison Brown, Morgan Bradley Tucker, Brian James Davidson, Layne Elizabeth Davidson, Kimberly Hope Davidson, and Caroline Tess Davidson.  Frances also has two great-grandchildren:  Bailey James and Hinton "Clay" James V. 

Visitation will be Monday, March 9, 2009 from 10:00 AM until 11:00 AM at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Winter Haven.  Funeral services will follow at 11:00 AM at the funeral home chapel.  Interment will be at Rolling Hills Cemetery. 

Condolences to the family can be sent to:  www.oakridgefuneralcare.com.