Vivian French

Mrs. Vivian Irene Moore French, 94 of Adamstown, Md passed away peacefully, with her family members at her bedside, Friday, April 24, 2015, at Buckingham's Choice. She was the loving wife of Orland Dean French.

Vivian was born on the family farm in Nemaha County near the Village of Brownville, NE on January 1, 1921. She was the sixth of seven children born to Robert F. and Minnie Spellerberg Moore. After graduating from Brownville High school in 1938, she was employed by the Nemaha County Superintendent of Schools. In 1941, she moved to Hollywood and attended Los Angeles City College (now UCLA). She was in charge of the Executive Payroll at Wilson & Co. for three years. She moved to Alameda, CA in 1946 and for five years was the head bookkeeper at the West Alameda American Trust Co. Bank (now Wells Fargo). She was employed by the Washington Mutual Savings Bank in Seattle as a manager of the mortgage trust funds for four years beginning in 1954. Upon the birth of her identical twin daughters in Seattle in 1959, while her husband was deployed on Operation Deepfreeze IV in Antarctica aboard the Coast Guard Icebreaker NORTHWIND, she became a stay-at-home mom.

She met her future husband Orland Dean French in 1942 when they both were visiting their respective parents in Nebraska for the Thanksgiving Holiday. After a brief courtship, he was transferred from the USCGC PERSEUS in San Diego to serve in the USS LST-21 in the Atlantic. When he returned to San Diego in 1944 in the newly commissioned USS BROWNSVILLE (PF-10) the courtship resumed and they were married on December 31, 1944 in Los Angeles. She accompanied him as his military service took them to Alameda, CA., Augusta, GA., St. Augustine, FL., Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, Seattle, WA., Yorktown, VA., and Washington, D.C. After Commander French retired from U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters in 1966, they continued to live in Potomac, MD. He was employed by the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, D.C. from 1966 until he retired again in 1983.

Vivian was an outdoor girl, avid gardener and enjoyed walking, tending her flowers, azaleas and vegetables. She was an active mom with the Potomac Pony Club for several years. She served about 10 years as Treasurer and was an active member of the Potomac Women's Republican Club since 1971. She was a member of the Coast Guard Officer's Wives Club for 44 years.

In retirement she and her husband extensively toured 47 of the 48 lower states for 20 years by motorhome. They took tours and cruises to England, Israel, Austria, Egypt, and several Mediterranean ports and toured Canada and Alaska by land and by sea. They took a river boat cruise down the Danube River from Vienna to the Black Sea.

In December of 2006 they sold their home in Potomac, MD and finally settled down moving to Buckingham's Choice retirement community in Adamstown, Md. in 2007.

In addition to her husband of 70 years she is survived by her daughter Denise Lynch and grandsons Jordan & Jesse Lynch of Madison, VA. and daughter Debbie French and fiance Jim Stine of Frederick, MD, brothers Jerry Moore of Hutchinson, KS, and Lloyd Moore of Sunland, CA. and by dozens of cousins, nieces and nephews and a host of friends nationwide.

Vivian's Memorial Service will be held Saturday, May 16, 2015 at 2:00 pm at Buckingham's Choice.

Interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made, in her memory, to: BCRA, Employees Appreciation Fund, Buckingham's Choice, 3200 Baker Circle, Adamstown, MD 21710. This fund is divided up to non-management staff twice a year for their good and dedicated work.