Frances Eileen (Toedt) Stubblefield

Frances Eileen (Toedt) Stubblefield was born January 31, 1947 in Sandwich, Illinois, the daughter of Margaret Jean Hoffman and Robert Penfold. As a young girl, she moved to Iowa where she was raised on a farm with no indoor plumbing. She graduated from SEMCO High School in Gilman, Iowa, then studied nursing at St Luke’s School of Nursing. Her nursing degree not only gave her a fulfilling lifetime career, it’s also how she met her husband Earl in 1970. They were married in 1971. Fran would later earn her BSN from Avila University. Nursing was her passion, and she specialized in Cardiac Care, working at various hospitals and clinics throughout southern Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. Fran remained friends with all of her former coworkers throughout the years. In 2011, she and Earl moved to Sarasota, Florida to experience the best of their retirement years. Sadly, Earl passed away in 2014. After Earl’s passing, Fran threw herself into volunteering. She loved reading and started volunteering at the Sarasota Library. She was active in Encore of Sarasota as the Recording Secretary, Name Tags Chairperson and a member of the Nominating Committee. If there was a group of women from her Laurel Lakes Neighborhood gathering, you would find Fran front and center! She was involved with the Book Club, Bunco Group, Widows Group and Ladies Luncheon, where she might have had a reputation as a ‘wine snob.’ One of her former neighbors described Fran as the ‘quiet one who brings joy to the group.’ When she wasn’t reading or day drinking with the ladies, you would find her watching The Hallmark Channel, Heartland Docs DVM, When Calls the Heart, and Fridays with Frank videos on Facebook. She also enjoyed attending musicals at various performing arts venues. Whenever her grandkids would visit, she loved making homemade chocolate chip cookies with her granddaughter and watching both grandkids play in the swimming pool. In April 2025, Fran moved to Clearwater to be closer to Mark and Shay, a decision that proved to be a Godsend. She battled many health issues later in life, and that slowed down her love to ‘always be busy.’ Fran is survived by her daughter Michelle Griesel and her husband Todd, her son Mark Stubblefield and his wife Shay, grandchildren Tyler Long and Ashlyn Griesel, sisters Norma Pennock (David) and Carolyn Christian (Charlie), brother Cal Burchland, one niece and one nephew. Services are Thursday, May 22nd at 11 am with visitation from 9 am-11 am at Toale Brothers Funeral Home and Crematory on Orange Avenue in downtown Sarasota.

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Frances Eileen (Toedt) Stubblefield

January 31, 1947 - May 18, 2025