Frances “Chee-Chee” Young Kakos, 87, of Bath, passed away at her home July 7 after a period of declining health. She was born in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, the daughter of the late Elizabeth and Morton Young, and moved to Bath as a young child.

Frances attended Bath schools and was a graduate of the Morse High Class of 1948. Always keen to exercise her mind, Frances returned to school and earned her BS in Education from the University of Southern Maine in 1980, the day before she turned 50 and after her three oldest children had already graduated from college.

She fell in love with and married Nicholas Kakos in 1948 and together they raised their four children. Frances and Nick relished in entertaining friends and vacationing with their family.

Independent and tireless, Frances was the owner of Happy House Nursery School for 37 years until she retired in 1998. She loved every minute of her work with Happy House. Thousands of children attended over the years, and she delighted in watching their names appear in the Morse High graduation listings each year. She was proud of her political action advocating to the state regarding nursery school legislation.

Frances was a savvy and talented woman. She and her husband were entrepreneurs who “flipped” several houses in Bath before it was a popular thing to do. Her creativity, sense of design and sharp insight made the updated houses easy to resell. She put these qualities to use in many ways throughout her life, from making her children’s clothes to building and reupholstering furniture to joyfully participating in community events.

Frances was intensely giving of her time and talents. She was quick to support a friend in need and enjoyed inviting the occasional cyclist or young missionary in for a meal and a break from the road. Frances maintained many volunteer endeavors, contributing to Grace Church and Morse High Alumni activities and serving as a member of the Bath Historical Society, Sagadahoc Preservation, Mayflower Society, and the Grace Church Altar Guild and Vestry.

In her retirement years she was passionate about genealogy research to trace her ancestry. She was a faithful volunteer in the History Room in the Patten Free Library. Two years ago, after learning that her sister in-law was terminally ill, Frances doggedly pursued her sister-in-law’s birth family roots so that she was able to correspond with sisters she never previously knew.

In addition to her parents and husband, Frances was predeceased by one son, Morton, her brother, Frank Young, and her sister, Barbara Gallagher.

Frances is survived by her children Nicholas Jr. (Ned), Lani Flaherty and partner Mike McGuire of Bath, and Nancy Boucher and husband Steve of Portland; grandchildren Patrick Flaherty of South Portland, Christine Boucher of Portland, and Katherine Boucher Young and husband Greg, and great-granddaughter Aubrey of Calgary, Alberta; a sister, Mary Bourque of Hallowell and several nieces and nephews.

A graveside burial service will be performed at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26th, at Oak Grove Cemetery in Bath, with a gathering of friends and family to celebrate her life at her home immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to a charity of your choice.