Frances L. Barrett

Frances was born in Austin, and except for a few years lived in Austin. She married while still in high school at the age of 16, completed her senior year of high school at Austin High. Former employers were Texas Instruments in Richardson, TX, Kaman Instruments, Tracor, AMD, CSI, & 3M all of Austin Texas. She served on the Quality Control Council as well. Frances was a very dedicated employee and would have worked much longer but was forced to retire as her eyesight deteriated due to macular degeneration. Frances loved her family, gardening, baking, loved the birds that would gather around her bird feeders, her doggie, Phoebe. After losing her sight she would listen to her audio books, bake cookies, cakes (yes she could with minimal help), “watch” jeopardy, and lately she enjoyed Family Feud as well. There are limited TV shows she could enjoy as she couldn’t see but she could listen to and enjoy. Her family well knew not to call on weekdays at 4 pm or Saturday’s at 5 pm as that was her Jeopardy time. Before losing her eyes she love crocheting and worked so hard to finish afghans before she had to stop, she was happy a new friend offered to complete the last one for her this past year. She enjoyed her morning coffee on her front porch with Phoebe, she also really loved Halloween, not because of the holiday itself but she loved giving the candy out to the trick or treaters and she always wanted the “good” candy to give to the kid do’s. Even this last Halloween when she was not able to sit on the front porch and have the different costumes of the kiddos described to her she still wanted and did give the kiddos their treats. Frances had a giving heart even through limited funds she tried to give to those less fortunate, particularly to veterans, orphans, and animal rescues.

Frances wasn’t an official member of a church, but she was a Christian and did open her heart for Christ. Thank you to Ruth Geilenfeldt, Peter Horn, and Julia Powell.

Frances was pre-deceased by her mother Lois Faglie Gillman McGee, her father Walter Harry Gillman, her brother Walter Samuel Gillman, Jr.

She is survived by sister and brother-in-law, Frank and Jean Bono of Wading River, NY, her children and their spouses, daughter and son in law Vickie and Joseph O’Brien of Leander, TX, son and daughter in law Roger and Larisa Barrett of Mt. Vernon, TX, son and daughter in law Randy and Marjorie Barrett of Cedar Creek, TX, and daughter & son in law Debbie and Jimmy Maxwell of Cedar Creek, TX,.

She is survived by 10 grandchildren, Stacey Zuniga, Michael Zuniga, Roger Barrett,Jr., Michelle Rodriguez, Teresa Smythia, Timothy Zuniga, Cherry Barrett, Randy Barrett Jr., Daniel O’Brien, Jonathan Maxwell, and 10 great-grandchildren, Dakota Barrett, Cheyanne Barrett, Tyler Rodriguez, Mason Rodriguez, Brianna Rodriguez, Coltan Rodriguez, Jonny Maxwell, Jeffrey Lee Maxwell, Finnley O’Brien, & Nico Van Zuniga.

The surviving family would like to acknowledge the care giver for their mom Ms. Julia Powell of Texas Home Health Care as well as the Meals on Wheels program volunteers, and the staff of Austin Heart Hospital including the doctors, nurses, respiratory techs, meal delivery and nutrition personnel who helped with her care. Austin, Paul, Tracy, Aileen, Kathleen, Taylor, Sarah, James, Dr. McMinn, Dr. Ziebert, Clarissa, and many more who helped in these final days, thank you for the care, the respect, and love you showed our mother and our family.