Frances Lehto

Frances Jane Lehto, 80, of Melba passed away Wednesday evening, August 30th, at home.

Frances was born on April 5th, 1937 in South Dakota. On November 7, 1957, she married her husband of nearly 60 years, Lyman Lehto. The two started their family with the birth of their eldest son, Perry, on June 2nd, 1958.

In 1968, after the birth of their youngest son, Craig, Lyman and Frances made the journey to Idaho, which would become their forever home. Shortly after their arrival in Idaho, their first daughter, Ida, was born. The next nine years brought four more daughters.

Lyman and Frances raised their nine children in Mountain Home. Caregiving came naturally to Frances, and while raising her own children, their home was never absent of additional children, whom Frances cared for and treated as her own.

Besides caring for children, Frances loved reading, gardening, cooking and sewing. If you made a trip to visit Frances, whether expected or unexpected, you never left without an enchilada, a burrito, a tamale or, at the least, a fresh, warm tortilla. Generally, you were also sent home with a dozen or so burritos or tamales, and, if you were lucky, a jar of her homemade salsa from fresh vegetables from her garden.

Frances passed much of her time sewing. She sewed everything from clothes for her children and grandchildren to wedding dresses for friends. She sewed doll clothes, including Barbie, Cabbage Patch Kids and American Girl for her children and then, later, for her grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and great nieces.

Some of her most amazing work came in the form of handmade quilts, which she gifted to countless friends and family.

Frances is survived by her husband, Lyman Lehto; their nine children Perry, Terry, Wayne, Craig, Ida, Amanda, Vera, Joline and Sarah; 23 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren; and her siblings Mary, Jessie, Vera, Lupe and Larry.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers Billy and Emil; and her sister Evelyn.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Steve and Karen Wynia for all the love and support that they have provided during Frances’s illness.

A celebration of Frances’s life will be held on Saturday, September 30th at 2 p.m. at the Melba fire station.