Frances Whillans was born in Princeton B.C., January 27, 1903. Frances took an interest in nursing and in 1923 she graduated as a R.N. from St. Joseph's Hospital in Victoria. She worked at this hospital for a couple of years. She then moved to Tacoma, Washington and worked as a lab tech for three years.

In December 1929 she crossed the Canadian border and went to Alaska. On the seventh day of December she married Raymund Sandy in Hyder, Alaska. They went back to Victoria and their first daughter was born. In 1933 Frances, Raymund and Diana moved to Rolla where they remained for four years.

The family moved to Fort St. John in 1937 and their second daughter was born. In 1941 they opened up a restaurant where Frances cooked and waitressed. In 1947 they opened up a drugstore in which Frances worked as a clerk. That same year they opened up a milk bar in one part of the drugstore. It was the first milk bar in Fort St. John to supply ice cream milkshakes as well as delicious ice cream cakes made by Frances. These cakes were very popular with the local children. Whenever she was needed Frances would also help out at the Old Providence Hospital. In the later years, Frances who was a diabetic all her life, lost her legs as a result of the disease. After this Frances took up painting. Frances painted mainly for her own personal enjoyment. She passed away on December 15, 1976.

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