Frances Graft

Frances Petrusic Graft, 95, of Hot Springs passed away peacefully, Nov 6 in her home. She was surrounded by her daughter, granddaughter and grandson.

Frances was born in Cakovec, Croatia in 1916. While living through communist war times in Croatia, she went to school to become a nurse. She was driven to overcome her difficult times and aiding those in need was a calling for her. She worked through the Red Cross during the war from 1941 - 1945. She saved and comforted many soldiers' lives. After the war, she returned to work with a civilian hospital, where she met and married Joseph Petrusic. They had one daughter, Elizabeth in 1946. Because of his stance against communism, Joseph Petrusic was arrested and executed in 1948.
After the death of her first husband, she was determined to get to the United States. A country she very much wanted to be a part. In 1962, her dream became a reality when she came to the United States and in 1968 became a United States Citizen, one of the proudest moments in her life.

Once in the United States, she traveled all around this great country working in various hospitals. She came to settle in Hot Springs in 1964. When asked why she chose Hot Springs, she said it was the picture of Christ with his arms open at First United Methodist Church on Central Avenue. She said, "Hot Springs has to be a good town to have such a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ." Once here, she bought the Clyde Hotel and started living the American dream. She married Eber Graft in 1970. She enjoyed Hot Springs and walked almost everywhere. She never saw the need to learn to drive, she liked the independence walking provided her. After retirement, she spent 12 years working at Oaklawn Race Track. She was an avid gardener up until the age of 93. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church.

Frances Graft lived life to the fullest. She dared to dream even after the toughest of times. She was a strong, persistent woman, not afraid of much.
This lack of fear extended to her death. She was a woman of strong faith and very prepared to enter eternal life. She will be greatly missed. We are blessed and comforted to know she is not just seeing a picture of Jesus Christ with his arms open, she is now, at peace, in His arms.

She was predeceased by her husbands, Joseph Petrusic and Eber Graft and granddaughter, Amanda McDaniel.

Survivors include her daughter, Elizabeth McDaniel; granddaughter, Rhonda McDaniel Coldren and her husband, Mark; grandson, Justin McDaniel; great-grandchildren, Ashlan McDaniel and Connor Coldren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church with Father Bill Thomas officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be 5:00-7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Gross Funeral Home, with Rosary at 6:00 p.m.

Special thank you to Arkansas Hospice for their loving care and support. Words cannot express how much they meant to us through this difficult time.
Dr Roy Puen for always going above and beyond to help our family.
Also, heartfelt thank you to dear friends Karen Kirchner and Dorothy Rawley

Guest register at www.grossfuneralhome.com