Frances Goff

Frances Ann Goff, 93, of Evans, WV, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on October 25, 2025. Frances was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, Gigi, sister, and aunt.

She was born on May 31, 1932 in Tacoma, Washington to Elmer and Florence (Carr) Lewellen. There, she met the love of her life, Howard Nelson Goff, Jr - the man who made her laugh, who challenged her, and who stood beside her through it all. Together they built a life that would reach farther than either of them could have imagined. They moved from Tacoma to West Virginia and then to Niagara Falls where they raised their children. They eventually moved back to West Virginia - the state she proudly called home. Whenever "Country Roads" played, she sang it with all her heart.

From that love came seven children, who built families of their own - and from there, the branches grew: 24 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren, and 17 great-great-grandchildren. Each of them represents a story she helped write. A laugh she inspired. A value she taught. A hug she gave.

Her home was always full - full of food, full of laughter, and full of people she loved. Holidays meant every seat taken, kids covering the floors, and more desserts than the table could hold. She was happiest in the middle of it all - surrounded by family, telling stories, and sharing in the noise and love that made her house a home.

Beyond her family, she poured her heart into service. She was an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Ladies Auxiliary, where she served proudly - even holding the honor of West Virginia Department President. Her leadership, kindness, and humor made her beloved by friends near and far.

She found joy in the simple things - cooking, knitting, quilting, and gardening. Many of her loved ones still have quilts she stitched with care and sweaters she knitted by hand. In every stitch and every recipe shared, she left a piece of herself.

Her legacy isn't found in buildings or trophies - it's found in the faces of her family. In the recipes passed down, the quilts she stitched, the gardens that bloom each spring, and the laughter that still fills every family gathering.

She taught us that love isn't measured in years - it's measured in people. And by that measure, she lived one of the richest lives imaginable.

This - all of this - is her legacy. A living, growing reminder that her love didn't end - it multiplied.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Howard Nelson Goff, Jr; two sons, William Cutlip and Michael Cutlip; her daughter, Dora Goff-Parsons; her sister and best friend, Patricia Dobbins; a grandchild and two great-grandchildren.

She is survived by her four children - Howard Goff, III (Joann), Kenneth Goff, Margaret Bailey, and Barbara Garner -and by a legacy of 23 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren, and 17 great-great-grandchildren who will carry her memory forward in everything they do. In addition, she is survived by her brother, Garry Lewellen, sister, Carol Simonson, and many nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.

A celebration of her life will be held at 12 p.m. on November 1, 2025 at Waybright Funeral Home, Ripley. Visitation will be at 10 a.m. until time of service. Burial will follow at Comer Cemetery at the Loudendale Freewill Baptist Church at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you honor her memory with donations to the Hubbard Hospice House by visiting www.hospicecarewv.org/make-a-donation/ or simply by gathering with family, telling stories, and laughing as she would have wanted.