Frances Alger

Frances “Fran” Alger, 93, of Davenport, passed away Sunday, December 8, 2024, at her home with her family by her side. Per her request cremation will be accorded and private inurnment held at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Frances A. Gusta was born January 23, 1931, in Littleport, IA, a daughter of Realto O. and Veronica (Zapf) Gusta. She was united in marriage to Kenneth Alger on May 4, 1948, at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport, and he preceded her in death on June 9, 2006. They celebrated 58 years together including a 50th Wedding Anniversary trip with the family to Disney World. She loved going to Florida and sitting on the beaches.

Fran was primarily a homemaker but also did embroidery work out of her home as well as helping her husband Ken run the former Gulf station at 13th and Marquette in Davenport.

Fran had a hard life growing up during the Depression. The family moved around a lot for her dad’s job. This is where her hard work ethic, resourcefulness and love of family came from. She was a kind and beautiful soul, the sweetest person, and honest to a fault. She was intimately acquainted with loss and sorrow, bravely facing life’s difficulties and knowing there was much more love and joy in the world. She passed down these traits to her nine children. 

She had a love of baking and tripled her recipes to feed her kids. She always had something baked for them when they got home from school. She still baked large amounts even when her kids were out of the house and would call and tell them to come over and get their cookies or banana bread. She instilled the love of baking in her kids and grandkids.

She was an avid reader of all genres of books. She especially loved the Harry Potter series and really enjoyed going to Universal to see the Wizarding World come to life. 

She loved her plants and gardening outside. People would stop and admire her gardens. A stranger once stopped and asked if she could take her senior pictures with her flowers in the background.

Survivors include her daughters Karen (Tim) Hintze, Sandie (Jeff) Hintze, Carol (Jim) Abbas, Susie (Wayne) Guertsen, all of Davenport; sons Mike (Lois) Alger, Blue Grass, Barry (Kathy) Alger, Davenport; 28 grandchildren; 46 great grandchildren; 8 great great grandchildren; and brother Ron (Shirley) Gusta, Eldridge.

Additionally, she was preceded in death by infant daughter Joan, son Patrick Joseph “PJ”, daughter and son-in-law Joyce (Dean) Schurke, son and daughter-in-law Kenny (Janell), infant grandson Mark M. Hintze, infant great granddaughter Lily Hintze, and brothers and sister-in-law Realto “Gus” (Ruth) and Robert Gusta.

Online remembrances may be expressed at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.