Francis Bouts

Francis Edmund Bouts, better known as Frank, 91, of Selden, KS, died August 21, 2020 at Colby Hospital, Colby, KS. He was born May 19, 1929 in Cedar, KS, to Anton and Leona Barnett Bouts. Frank was always a Kansas farm boy at heart and was certainly a child of the Great Depression. He grew up working harvests and herding cattle while attending school with his siblings. In 1942, when the war industry provided secure jobs with good pay, his family moved to Southern California, where Frank continued to do whatever he could do to help the family make ends meet. He cut grass, delivered papers, and sacked groceries, all while attending school at North Hollywood High School, graduating in 1947. He also worked for a time as an usher at CBS studios in Hollywood and was able to meet numerous stars of stage and screen. But though in a job that aspiring actors would be envious to have, his heart was still in Kansas, and he returned often to work in the wheat harvest, and eventually enrolled in KSU.

It was while in Kansas that he met and married Betty Mae Sejkora of Jennings KS in 1951 and began a family together. Mindful of the lessons learned during the depression, he looked for greater security for his young family, and with the outbreak of war in Korea, he enlisted in the US Navy and moved to San Diego CA. Always proud of his service, possibly the greatest family legacy from that time is he learned to put peanut butter on pancakes, a practice that has been handed down and grateful children and grandchildren enjoy to this day.

Completing his enlistment, Frank was drawn back to Kansas to resume farming. As ensuring security for his family was always foremost in his mind, in 1955 he took full time employment with United Airlines in what was then a nascent air transport industry. He earned qualification as an airframe and powerplant mechanic, and stayed with United for 39 years, an active participant in the birth of an industry and the introduction of the jet age. Throughout his time with United, he did what was needed to provide for a family that now included 7 children. And though his employer offered travel benefits allowing opportunity to see the world, his preferred vacation destination was often Kansas.

As he reached retirement age, he met and married his second wife, Jean Zimmerman, of Kanona KS, and together they made a new home in Selden KS. It quickly became a place of refuge and reunion for the many children and grandchildren from both the Zimmerman and Bouts clans. And Grandad Bouts always had stories to tell, acquired during the years: most any child or grandchild can relay how Tack Foster got his nickname, having heard the story multiple times. And all would love to hear him tell it one more time.

First of all things, Frank was a provider. He worked extra hours to ensure his family had a nice home, and holidays and Christmas were always a time to share in abundance. His favored past time was primarily working in his garden, and his children grew up believing that the rest of the world was also served corn on one’s plate that was just 30 minutes removed from the stalk. He was always ready to help where he could, providing a timely assist when it was needed, because he could.

Frank was preceded in death by his parents; by brother Donald; by his second wife Jean; and by his great granddaughter Binta Rose Jallow.

He is survived by children, son Thomas and Cory Bouts, of Littleton CO, son Richard Bouts, of Selden KS, stepdaughter Rhonda and Kenneth Wildeman, of Jennings KS, son Gerald and Ellyn Bouts, of Denver CO, son Alan and Charlotte Bouts, of Westcliffe CO, stepson Ronald Zimmerman, of Boise ID, daughter Sarah and Marty Veitel, of Pensacola FL, son John Bouts, of Albuquerque NM, and daughter Dawn and Brian Albee, of Lakewood CO; with grandchildren Luke, Ellen, Josh, Jessica, Matt, Katy, Logan, Stefan, Annalee, Jessica, Joni, Jamie, Ryan, Aubben, Ben, Libby, Christina, Kim, Andy, Heather, and Liana; and 39 great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Cremation was chosen. Family will receive friends and a Memorial Service held later after the coronavirus pandemic passes. Inurnment will follow in Jennings Cemetery, where Frank will be placed near his mother and father, Anton and Leona.

Online condolences may be left at www.baalmannmortuary.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to (City of Selden Parks) in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. Also, the family is working on a virtual memorial page. If you have any pictures, videos, stories, thoughts, and memories please send them to frankboutsmemorial@gmail.com . Anyone contributing content or requesting access will be provided a link when the memorial is complete.