Ruth had just graduated from Davis High School earlier that year, and Trice was a recent graduate of Sulphur High School, as he had left school at 15 to work in the oil field before returning to high school at age 18.

Eleven months and 16 days later, Frances Marie Birch was introduced to the world. The Birches were the embodiment of the depression era in Oklahoma as she grew up. They were sharecroppers and eventually saved enough money to purchase a 200-acre farm north of Sulphur. It was there, through their own hard work, they turned a mere shack into a picturesque farmhouse they would call home. During that time, Trice earned additional income working for the WPA in the Arbuckle Mountains. Frances became a big sister at the age of four when her only sibling, Iva Lea, was born. Iva Lea would be one of Frances’ greatest companions in life.

Frances and her sister were the epitome of country farm girls, and by necessity, they learned the value of hard work and a dollar at an early age. Trice used to say they were “so poor they spelled it with 7 o’s, they were ‘pooooooor.’” As true farmers, they would never go hungry, as they grew their own vegetables, fruit, cattle, hogs, and chickens. The girls worked alongside the adults because that was the only way to survive. Although, Frances and Iva Lea managed to make the most of their childhood together: one summer—surely out of pure boredom—they trained two heifers to ride bareback into town.

Frances and her sister, Iva Lea, would follow in Ruth’s footsteps scholastically. Their mother was salutatorian of her high school class at Davis and emphasized the importance of a proper education to her daughters. Both of the girls excelled in school, and interestingly, both would become educators. Frances was involved in nearly every extracurricular group the Sulphur school system had to offer. Her senior year, she was on the newspaper staff, the yearbook staff, vice president of the National Honor Society, Student Council President, FHA Secretary, an officer on the debate team, Rodeo Queen of the Hereford Heaven Stampede, and her high school’s football queen. She also was very skilled on a horse, as you’ll see in pictures, even mastering trick riding.

After high school, Frances enrolled at OklahomaA&M in Stillwater, which later became OSU. She would not finish her degree, however, and came back to Sulphur, where, in 1955, she met the man who would be the love of her life, Glen Diacon. He had moved to Sulphur from the Wetumka area and was working in the oil field when they met.

She met Glen when he brought in his taxes to be done at the CPA office she worked as a secretary. Frances later joked that he was so interested in his taxes that he came about every day or two to check in and finally worked up the nerve to ask her on a date. She turned him down initially, convinced he was much younger than she was. She didn’t say yes until after she demanded to see his driver’s license, learning they were, in fact, the same age.

On May 5, 1956, they were married, and their honeymoon was one night in a motel in the well-known vacation spot of Holdenville. The next day, Glen would get back to work on the oil rig.

With her new name, Frances Diacon, she would learn to accept the gypsy lifestyle thanks to Glen Sr.’s work. It was 1961 in Grants, New Mexico, where their one and only child, Glen Jr., would be born. They moved to New Mexico, then California, and when it looked like the family would move to Oregon once again for Glen’s work, Frances put her foot down. They were going back to Oklahoma. They loaded up their truck in Beverly Hillbillies fashion and were moving back to Sulphur in 1968.

Frances and Glen would buy a house on a 10-acre lot, and to say it was a ‘fixer-upper’ was an understatement. Through their own hard work, they would make a rundown house into a family home. Frances would live there until she was 89.

Frances decided to go back to college at Ada, at East Central State University, to finish her bachelor’s degree in education. She would later receive her master’s degree in science and her teaching certificate for teaching the hearing impaired. She would carpool for her master’s program to and from Oklahoma City with Patricia Baldwin, who was the mother of her future first daughter-in-law, Sherry Baldwin. The two would fight over who had to drive because both wanted to study during the commute. She would teach at the Oklahoma School for the Deaf for over 20 years until she retired at the age of 65.

In 1991, Frances would suddenly lose the love of her life, Glen Sr., to a major heart attack. Before he passed, he had purchased a hardware store (Diacon True Value Hardware), a laundromat, a feed store, and a sheet metal business. Frances ran all of these businesses in his honor, all while teaching full-time. The major debt of two was suddenly on one. Just the same, she would pay it all off in time. She eventually parted ways with all of the businesses, the last of which was Diacon True Value, at the age of 80.

In 1987, she began her next greatest adventure: she was a grandparent. Frances held many titles over the years, but there was none she held in higher regard than being ‘Mamaw.’While she was able-bodied, Frances made just about every single event she possibly could for her grandchildren and step-grandchildren. Just like her mother, Ruth, she always wanted to reward good grades.

Frances loved to travel, and one of her favorite accomplishments in life outside of her family was traveling to all fifty states in the union. The feat was completed in 2016 in the Great Frontier: Alaska.

Frances grieved the passing of Glen the rest of her days, but did find a new life partner five years after his death. Royce Smith was an old friend from high school who was recently divorced. The two would be nearly inseparable for many, many years until Royce’s passing in 2018.

During her life, church was always a central staple. Her mother, Ruth, played piano for 46 years at the Freewill Baptist Church. Frances was a member of Crossway Church until her passing. Even after suffering a stroke that limited her mobility, Frances was always at church as the doors opened.

Frances was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and was fiercely loyal to her family and loved them deeply. She let her actions speak louder than her words, and make no mistake about it: her words were loud too. Her family never doubted for a second where her loyalty lay. She will be missed. Frances entered into rest peacefully on October 17, 2026, at 2:06 PM.

Frances was preceded in death by her father and mother, her beloved sister, her beloved husband, Royce Smith.

Frances is survived by her son, Glen Jr. and wife Dana; granddaughter, Britane;’ grandson, Drake and fiancé Danielle; grandson, Kolton; granddaughter, Grace; granddaughter, Aubrey and husband Andrew; granddaughter, Eden; grandson, Elias; great-granddaughter, Gwenny; great-granddaughter, Madi; niece, Lisa Presley; as nephew, Gerald Trice Benn and wife Sharon; and a host of extended family members, too many to mention, that are all loved her and she loved them.

Special thanks to Artesian Nursing Home, Arbuckle Hospital rehab unit, FeatherstoneAssisted Living Facility, Mark Estlack, Mary, Debby, and Amanda, and Victory Home Health and Hospice.

Visitation was held Wednesday at DeArman Funeral Home in Sulphur. Services were held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026 at Crossway Baptist Church in Sulphur, with Rev. Bill Leveridge offi ciating. Burial followed at Oaklawn Cemetery in Sulphur. Services were under the direction of DeArman Funeral Home of Sulphur.