Frances Fleming was a doer. She had tireless energy that would serve her well throughout her life. Born in England in 1923, Frances was the middle of five children. In school, her favourite courses were dressmaking and needlecraft, two skills that would be of value in her adult years. During her college years, WWII broke out and she joined the British Women’s Army.

Frances landed in Halifax in 1949 and a year later, married John Fleming. Children soon followed, three sons John, Robert, and Tom and two daughters, specifically our well-known bowlers, Loraine, and Nancy. In the late 1950’s, they moved from the eastern beaches to a more central east end location. Frances and John joined a Saturday bowling league and Frances was hooked on the sport. She joined the local community centre where there were lots of youth activities, but nothing for adults. Frances started an afternoon ladies league that grew to over 100 members.

This led to the beginning of an after-school program for children in the area. The program grew to cover all three floors of Queen City Bowl, located at Logan and Queen Streets in Toronto. Bowling was just five cents a game. Frances saw an opportunity to teach both the parents and the children how to mark score. Both groups benefitted, but especially the youth as they gained a more positive attitude toward arithmetic, and their school grades improved dramatically.

Using her needlework skills, Frances made badges for her bowlers and as demand grew, Frances included the parents to both assist and learn embroidery skills. More than 80 mothers and girls joined the process. For the boys, Frances’ husband John taught woodworking skills to make small items for awards as there was no money for trophies. A year-end banquet was “pot luck” and the entire neighbourhood participated.

During the 1960’s, Frances expanded her after-school volunteer work to include embroidery, sewing, cooking, folk dancing, and rhythm band at Woodgreen Centre. In the evening she added arts and crafts, copper tooling, drama, brownies, and folk dancing. Every year, she sent groups to “Tiny Talent Time” and “Big Top” television programs. More than 500 children and adults took part. For the youth, she integrated the bowlers into the newly formed Youth Bowling Council Program.

In 1967, Frances had three projects planned. She created a new “Student-Teacher” tournament, using a scotch doubles format. In the second year, over 75 teams registered. The second project was to arrange for her bowlers to attend EXPO ‘67 in Montreal. There was a local contest to design a centennial float for the local Canada Day Parade and 20 winners would receive an all expense one week trip to Montreal. Frances helped design the float and she was thrilled when her winners left for EXPO ‘67. The third goal was a centennial penny collection. Children saved all the pennies that had the centennial bird on them and, at year’s end, the funds were distributed to 12 different charities.

In the late 1960’s Frances took the job as YBC Program Director at Plaza Lanes, located at Coxwell and Danforth Avenues, where she started a new Seniors/Fidgets league. Seniors were over 60 years of age and fidgets were under six years of age. The fidget bowled the first ball and the senior the next two, if needed. This tournament was an early version of today’s Family Twosome.

With her children now old enough, Frances took a job with the Post Office. During that time, she started a company league bowling at Olympia Edward and, in later years, this league moved to Thorncliffe and New Shamrock Bowl. Frances organized fundraisers for teams to provincials, the Toronto Star tournament and the World Bantam in Guelph.

In the late 1970’s Frances and her girls, Loraine and Nancy, all joined the Master Bowlers’ Association representing Queen City Bowl, a centre large enough to accommodate all her programs. Unfortunately, a fire in the bowling centre interrupted this process and Frances’ health also began to deteriorate. After enduring multiple heart attacks, Loraine and Nancy took over the leagues and began their start in a long and successful volunteer service career.

Frances was involved with Doris Luke in the formation of the Toronto 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association. She bowled with her family in the Black Tower tournament and a granddaughter bowled in the Ontario Games in Collingwood, both programs of the Ontario 5 Pin Bowlers’ Association.

Poor health struck Frances in 2000 and stayed with her and she passed away in 2009. Three generations have left their mark in the bowling industry. For Frances, at only four foot ten inches tall, her mark was a gift that will never die.