Frances Abbot Laws Gilbert (Fran), 90, of Kennett Square, died Tuesday, Jan. 10, at home from the natural consequences of old age.
Frances Abbot Laws Gilbert
Fran led a very ordinary life. Loved to cook. Played bridge. Did needlework. A green-thumb gardener. Avid reader. Loved to travel. Ran a nice card shop in Kennett Square for several years during the 90s called Papier.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, David Fanton Gilbert. She is survived by her three children, Lesley Jessica Gilbert Natalie, David Fanton Gilbert, Jr., and Betsy Jean Gilbert Benner; three grandchildren, Andrew, Stephanie, and David; and three great-grandchildren, Joshua, Brody, and Brianna.
She always said she did four things right in her life. She married David in 1954. She gave birth to Lesley, David Jr., and Betsy.
Fran liked to repeat a story about Minnie Pearl, the Grand Ol’ Opry star of the ’40s. Minnie always appeared on the stage with a huge smile and a huge “How-dee!!!” She always wore a wonderful hat, with the price tag still dangling from its brim. When asked what she wanted people to remember about her when she was gone, she replied, “I want people to think of me and smile”.
Fran’s final wish, in lieu of any memorial services, was simply that we all be kind to one another.
Contributions in her memory may be made to a cause important to you.
To view her online tribute and to share a memory with family, please visit www.kuzoandfoulkfh.com
Arrangements by the Foulk Funeral Home, West Grove.
View into the Starr Farm in East Bradford Township. (Courtesy image)
The Brandywine Conservancy recently celebrated milestone achievements in land conservation as it ended 2022 with more than 500 total conservation easements held by the organization, while also exceeding 70,000 acres of land that have been permanently preserved through both direct and facilitated easements. Staff completed a total of 32 conservation projects throughout the year, resulting in the protection of 1,033 additional acres of land in Chester, Delaware and Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania.
The projects in 2022 included eight new conservation easements held by the Brandywine — bringing the organization’s total to 511 easements — and 13 facilitated transactions made in partnership and close collaboration with multiple public and private partners.
“For more than 55 years, the Brandywine Conservancy has been a leader in land conservation throughout our region,” said Stephanie Armpriester, Brandywine’s director of conservation & stewardship. “These new milestones further cement our achievements in conservation. It is a collective effort from our conservation-minded community, individual landowners who have personally committed to permanent protection of their family lands, and private and public partners who have supported conservation policies and funding at the local, county, state and federal levels.”
Noting the achievements of the Brandywine Conservancy, Chester County Commissioners Marian Moskowitz, Josh Maxwell and Michelle Kichline said, “When it comes to the importance of land preservation, Chester County ‘gets it’. Our residents appreciate it, municipalities and landowners support it, and we have respected, professional organizations like Brandywine Conservancy whose focus and funding contributes greatly to Chester County’s preservation efforts. We congratulate, commend, and thank the leaders, staff, and volunteers of Brandywine Conservancy on their milestone achievements.”
One of the transactions from the past year included placing an easement on 16 acres of East Bradford Township’s Starr Farm, a historic site that is designated as a visually significant landscape by the township. This property includes farm fields, meadows, steep slopes, and a cluster of historic 18th and 19th-century structures — which are protected Township Class I Historic Resources. East Bradford Township also acquired additional acreage adjacent to this property to comprise the “Starr Farm Park.” A public trail easement on this property along Skelp Level Road will connect to existing trails in the area.
Other highlights included an easement donation of 95-plus acres in Highland Township, with assistance from the Cheshire Land Preservation Fund; collaborating with West Bradford Township to preserve 144+ combined acres across several properties with key natural resources and productive farmland within the township; and working behind-the-scenes with Elk Township to facilitate the acquisition and transfer of a 166+ acre property to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to add to the newly created Big Elk Creek State Park.
“We extend our congratulations to Brandywine Conservancy’s hardworking staff and volunteers for their outstanding conservation achievements of 2022 and their ongoing stewardship of more than 70,000 acres for the benefit of all,” added Andy Loza, executive director of WeConservePA.
In addition to achievements in conservation, staff working in Brandywine’s community services department also celebrated notable wins in 2022.
“Brandywine Conservancy staff partnered with 26 municipalities in Pennsylvania and Delaware on natural resource planning and land restoration efforts—which included updating municipal comprehensive plans, reducing pollution from stormwater runoff to improve water quality, and utilizing new climate resiliency tools to help local governments with adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change,” added Grant DeCosta, Brandywine’s director of community services. “These efforts strengthen the preservation accomplishments of our easements and contribute to a standout year for the Brandywine that we look forward to building on in the new year.”
•Patrick A. Doherty, 20, of Phoenixville, was charged with following too closely following a rear-ender accident on Route 202 south of Oakland Road near Garnet Ford in Chadds Ford Township on Jan. 4, according to police. According to the report, Doherty was southbound on 202 when he could not stop in time for upcoming traffic congestion, and struck one car which, in turn, struck a third vehicle. No injuries were reported.
•Police said they arrested a 49-year-old Glen Mills woman for shoplifting. The report said the woman, not identified in the report, tried to steal $150 worth of merchandise from Wegmans on Jan. 11.
•State police said Allan Bunhu, 37, of Lansdowne, was arrested for DUI in Chadds Ford Township on Oct. 30. According to the report released this week, troopers were dispatched to 1749 Creek Road because a black sedan was blocking traffic with the driver and passenger asleep in the car.
•Police are investigating a case of an engagement ring missing from a home on Smithbridge Road in Chadds Ford Township sometime between Dec. 16 and 17. The ring has a gold band and a square diamond.
Avondale Barracks
•State police from the Avondale barracks said they arrested a 37-year-old man from Exton, not identified in the report, for DUI in East Marlborough Township on Jan. 10. The report said the man was seen driving into the Shoppes at Longwood on Route 1 after all the businesses were closed. After making contact with the driver, police said they smelled alcohol and observed signs of impairment. Field sobriety tests also indicated impairment.
•Police are investigating the reported theft of $500 worth of merchandise from the Walmart in East Marlborough Township on Jan. 6.
•A 50-year-old woman, not identified, was arrested for DUI on Route 1 in East Marlborough Township on Jan. 11. Police said they were responding to a report of a woman slumped over in her car.
•Police said one driver was injured in a two-car crash on Route 1 in East Marlborough Township on Jan. 11. The police report said Mikaylin M. Sutton, 20, of Wadsworth, Ohio, was driving north in the left lane on Route 1 when she tried to merge right but was following too closely to the vehicle in front and rear-ended it. Th second driver was transported to Chester County Hospital for treatment.
•Police arrested a 17-year-old girl on DUI charges after she was seen driving with no headlights on at 12:37 a.m. The teen admitted to consuming alcohol.
