Frances Margaret Hallett Eakman

Frances Margaret Hallett Eakman, 93, passed away Friday, November 1, 2019. A funeral service will be held Friday, November 8, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel with burial to follow at Highland Cemetery. Frances was born September 1, 1926, the youngest of the six children of Jessie and Otis Hallett. After graduation from Glasgow High School in 1944, she enrolled in the Cadet Nurse Corps. She began her education at what was then Montana State College in Bozeman and continued on to Montana Deaconess Hospital in Great Falls for her clinical training. In Great Falls, Frances met Herb Eakman. Frances and Herb married shortly after her graduation. They then moved to Bozeman where he completed his Master’s degree and she worked at the hospital. After Herb’s graduation, they moved to Miles City where he worked with the students at the Industrial School and Frances was the school nurse. Four years later they moved to Billings where Frances worked at the hospital. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s in nursing and a Master’s degree in education. Frances taught student nurses for MSU School of Nursing in Billings for many years. Frances is survived by her son, Donavan (Margaret) of Great Falls; daughter, Nancy (Mike) of Camas, Washington; son-in-law Bob Blackford of Billings; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Herb Eakman; and her daughter, Jennifier Mellgren Blackford. Memorial contributions may be made to the Montana Talking Book Library, PO Box 201800, Helena, MT 59620-1800 or to Peace Hospice, 1101 26th St S, Great Falls, MT59405.