Katie Meredith
To alumni like Kim Bowser (Class of 1975) and Ed Holmes (1983), Fran August was not only a great bus driver – she was a light for students; whether it was as simple as flashing her mega-watt smile or letting students come up with names for stuffed animals on her bus, she was a constant, joyful presence. With each pickup and drop-off, each interaction Fran shared with students embodied the fruits of the Spirit, namely gentleness and love.
Today, Fran has a few more circles around her tender smile. She is a spry 85 years young, still living in a charming Meydenbauer neighborhood bungalow, the same one she and her late husband Jack moved into in the early 1960s.
She spends time during the week in her “She shed,” which she and Jack lovingly worked on together before his death in 2015, before the trend of “She sheds” took off. It has become a sanctuary for Fran. Its walls are covered in farm scenes – cattle, pastures and birds – a special peek back into her childhood on a Wisconsin farm. There’s an antique French daybed to rest upon, classical music, soothing lighting and even a picture given to her by Bellevue Christian Founder Joe Greene quoting Psalm 104.
When her first-born Halle was still a baby, she and Jack rented another home nearby and walked to meetings held at Bellevue Christian School. The friends who became family and the way God’s word was shared kept them coming back to BCS. At least that was the case for Fran, as Jack worked long hours as a Boeing engineer.
Once they had all three of their children, Halle, Deanna and Lori, Fran became a constant presence at Bellevue Christian. When you ask alumni about Fran August, in the same breath you hear phrases like “surrogate mom,” “the kindest person I have ever met,” and “full of joy.” Longtime teacher and principal Larry Anderson describes her as “legendary in her love for BCS students.”
We welcomed Fran at the Central Office recently, when she stopped in to say thank you and to introduce herself. As a long-time supporter of Bellevue Christian and its mission, she wanted to meet the people face to face, currently carrying out God’s purpose for BCS. Thank YOU, Fran, for lighting up so many students’ days before and after school and sharing the gift of your presence. The Bellevue Christian community continues to be blessed by your support.