Lifetime Walker County resident, Mrs. Sue Frances High Mote left this world to be with her Lord and Savior January 5, 2025. Fran was born in Riverside, Texas, on April 13, 1938. She accepted Jesus Christ as her savior in August 1948 and was baptized in the Trinity River.

Fran attended elementary school at Riverside, there were two grades combined into a classroom. Later, when her mother got a teaching job in New Waverly, she and her younger sister Julia attended school in New Waverly through high school. Fran was the pitcher of the New Waverly softball team in 1954 when they were district champs. Julia, her younger sister, played first base. She transferred to Huntsville High School for her junior year and graduated in 1956.

Fran's life was shaped by educators. Her grandfather, George Flynt, was a member of the five-member Walker County Board of School Trustees. Her father, W. J. High, was a member of the Riverside School Board. Her mother, Angier Faye Flynt High, attended the Sam Houston Normal Institute, received her BS from Sam Houston State College, and her MA from Sam Houston State University. She taught in several schools in Walker County, Clines Prairie, Pine Prairie, New Waverly, and a private kindergarten, Kiddie Kollege.

After graduating from East Texas Baptist College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in English, Fran began her teaching career in the Conroe Independent School District. While attending a Baptist retreat in Waco, she met Fred Nolan Mote of Woodland, Alabama who was a Military Policeman stationed at nearby Fort Hood. They were married August 10, 1960. She transferred to Killeen ISD to teach English at Killeen High School. Her daughter Sheree arrived in 1961 while in Killeen. Once Fred completed his military service, they moved to Huntsville where they lived on the TDC Ellis Unit where Fred was employed. Her son John arrived in 1963. She completed her Master of Arts in English at Sam Houston State University while her children were young.

In 1968 she began to teach English at Huntsville High School and continued for seventeen years where she also served as English department chair. She transferred to Conroe High School to teach in the Gifted and Talented Program for four years. After completing post-graduate studies in educational administration at Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Tyler, and Sam Houston State University and receiving her Professional Supervisor Certificate and Mid-Management Certificate, she accepted an administrative position in Huntsville ISD. She served as Curriculum Coordinator of Secondary Education for 15 years. She retired in 1999 with 35 years in public education. Several honors she has received were: Exemplary Teacher Award, Who's Who Among Texas Educators, Model Teacher for Sam Houston State University Teacher Training Center, Teacher of the Month, Who's Who in American Education, Career and Technology Administrators of Texas Appreciation Award, and Who's Who of American Women.

After retiring from public education, Fran taught international students in the English Language Institute at Sam Houston State University for 10 years. She enjoyed learning from her students about their countries and cultures. She often said she felt as if she was on a world tour. Her most memorable experiences were in the classroom, interacting with students. She always enjoyed teaching and learning. Her goal was to inspire students to become lifelong learners.

Outside of teaching, Fran loved fishing for any species, but especially for trout in Colorado. Her favorite town was Marble, Colorado where the whole family would go to fish in the Crystal River or in Beaver Lake. While in Marble she enjoyed riding ATVs, and taking pictures of the green meadows, beautiful flowers, and occasional wildlife. An additional plus was the cool mountain mornings at 8,000 feet, when it was in the 90s at home, and the evening campfires outside our very rustic little log cabins. There were no television stations available in Marble at the time and one pay phone to connect to the rest of the world if necessary.

Fran is preceded in death by her parents, W.J. High and Angier Faye Flynt High of Riverside, Texas, her husband Fred Nolan Mote, and her brother William James High Jr.

She is survived by her sister Julia High Parker of Lubbock, Texas, sister-in law Kay High of Riverside, Texas, her daughter, Sheree Mote Klass and husband Paul Klass of Kerens, Texas, her son John Mote and wife Marianne Mote of Conroe Texas, two grandchildren Makayla Mote and Nolan Mote, and one granddaughter-in-law, Reagan Harris Mote. She is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family has established an endowed scholarship for the SHSU College of Education, donations can be made to the "Mrs. Fran Mote Endowed Scholarship in Teaching at Sam Houston State University".

By mail to: SHSU Office of University Advancement, Box 2537, Huntsville, TX 77341-2537 or online at:

https://www.shsu.edu/offices-departments/university-advancement/give-now

When giving online, please mention the name of the scholarship listed above.