Frances Estill

Frances was born February 23, 1930 in Plainview, Texas to Harmon and Maerine Roberts. After graduating from Plainview High School in May 1947, she went to Wayland Baptist College for two years. Then she moved to Belton, Texas to attend Mary Hardin Baylor where she met Dale in a one of her classes. After meeting again on the tennis court, they started dating. They went together for two years and were married in Plainview on June 1, 1951, a week after she graduated from Mary Hardin Baylor.

Dale and Frances moved back to Belton since he was working at Fort Hood and Frances was employed with Continental Belton as an accounting assistant. Dale was offered a job with General Motors so they moved to Arlington, Texas in 1953.

While raising a family, Frances joined The University of Texas at Arlington and was employed in the Business Administration Department as the Secretary to the Dean of Business. She retired from UTA on August 31, 1986, after 26 years.

Dale and Frances were members of First Baptist Church in Arlington for over 50 years. They were long time charitable supporters of Tillie Burgin and Mission Arlington.

Travel and playing games were the two joys of their lives. They loved to travel to Hawaii, within the continental US and overseas to Germany. Staying home for the holidays, playing games and cooking, was Frances’ favorite time with family. On many long weekends to Abilene, they would meet her sister and brother-in-law, Melba Jo and Don Willis. They would go to dinner at Perini’s Steak House and later, played marathon games of 42 at the hotel.

Frances was known for baking with her daughter Linda, especially Dale’s coconut cake and Steve’s chocolate pie. She also had many requests from extended family for her banana nut bread.

Frances is preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Dale Estill; her parents, Harmon and Maerine Roberts; two sisters, Bobbie Gilmer of San Antonio, Texas and Melba Jo Willis of Bryan, Texas.

Survivors: son, Steven Dale Estill and wife, Debby, of Fort Worth; daughter, Linda Joyce Frazee and husband, Ed, of Arlington; Granddaughter, LeAnn Estill, husband, Matthias, and great grandson, Everett; nephew James Robert Frazee and wife, Emily, of Prosper, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made “In Memory of Frances Estill” to: Mission Arlington, 210 W South St, Arlington, TX 76010, (817) 277-6620 or their website: www.missionarlington.org