Frances Ann Richards was born in a small town near Livonia, Indiana on October 2, 1929. She was the sixth child and considered to be the ‘baby’ of the family. At 20-years-old, she joined a country music band known as the Hoosier Wranglers and traveled all over the Midwest and the South singing with country music legends like Gene Autry. In 1968, she moved to Simi Valley, California and opened two beauty shops in Westlake Village, California. Her two children: Yolanda Sherry Kumar married Sam Kumar and Jerry Travis Nickell (deceased) married Debbra Nickell.
Her biggest achievement was traveling across the U.S. and the world to share God’s word with countless people in the Philippines, Cayman Islands, Israel, Egypt, as well as several states including the Angelus Temple in East Los Angeles. Her proudest moment was opening Rejoice Ministries Church in Simi Valley where she preached the gospel, baptized the faithful and dedicated many to the Lord. She had recently retired, after serving the community more than 30 years.
Frances Ann was a grandmother of five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Reggie and Anna Kumar, Matt Kumar and Theodora Greece, Crystal and Robert Stephens, Sarah and Joey Thompson, J.J. Nickell, Elizabeth Thompson, Hayden Kumar, Madilynn Thompson and Hanah Kumar.