Frances Genevieve Kaye

Dec 5, 1925 -

Feb 1, 2026

Frances Genevieve Kaye (nee Depta) of Anchorage, Alaska, passed on Feb. 1, 2026, after living a life long in years and rich in experiences. Frances was born on Dec. 5, 1925, in Patchogue, Long Island, N.Y. She grew up one of 13 children born to Franciszek Depta and Marcyanna Kadziela who had emigrated from Poland.

Her early years were spent going to school and working in the fields her family owned and farmed. She filled her free hours with reading in the attic and playing softball with her school mates. After graduation, she attended typing school and worked in the offices of Brookhaven National Laboratory. During this time she met her future husband, Leo, on a blind date set up by her sister. Frances would always say she never liked blind dates but this one was for a local dance and she loved to dance. Leo's dancing did not impress her but his smile captured her heart.

Frances and Leo married on May 31, 1948, and soon after their adventures began. They traveled to Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado for Leo's job. Two years later, in 1950, their travels stopped with the arrival of their first child, David, and they settled in New Jersey, where their other four children were born. In 1964, the family returned to Long Island until 1970 when they moved next to Alaska, first living in Anchorage and then Wasilla. Frances loved her Wasilla home sitting on the knoll above Kaye Lake and had many family adventures fishing, camping, berry picking and participating in pretty much anything Leo or her children cooked up.

Frances was a person for whom family, food and fun were the key ingredients. She was a phenomenal cook and baker. There wasn't a cheesecake she couldn't bake to perfection or a pie she couldn't master. She loved cooking for her family and holiday gatherings were epic. She loved listening to her polkas and dancing was in her blood.

In her later years after Leo passed, she went to live with her youngest daughter and son-in-law, where she enjoyed five years in Homer before they relocated to Anchorage where she lived until she passed. She loved working on jigsaw puzzles, crosswords and playing games, which she did up to the end. She had amazing perseverance and swore it was chocolate and ice cream that kept her going.

Frances was predeceased by her husband Leo, and 11 of her siblings. She is survived by all five of her children, David (Barb), Denise (Richard), Lorraine (Doug deceased), Christopher (Helen) and Frances (Chris); eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and her beloved sister, Catherine Abbott. She also leaves behind her three amazing care companions/friends: Karolyn, Nyabony and Wendy.

Frances was an amazing woman and mother who had a loving heart and a kind soul. Her 100 years were well spent and she will be dearly missed by her family and friends.