Frances Brotzen

Frances Burke Ridgway Brotzen died June 12, 2011. Born in Washington, D.C. March 15, 1915, she graduated from George Washington University (B.A. in 1937) and Western Reserve University (M.A. in 1952). From 1941 to 1954, she served in the U.S. Consular Service in Bombay, India, and in the U.S. Foreign Service in the Department of State, Washington, D.C. Member, Sigma Kappa Sorority, Rice University Faculty Women’s Club, United Nations Association, ACLU, Sierra Club, The Discussion Group, Institute of International Education, Council on Foreign Relations and Planned Parenthood.

She was an associate of Jones College, Rice University (from 1958) and co-master at Jones (1974-75); associate of Brown College, Rice University (since 1977), co-master of Brown (1977-82). She and her husband, Franz Richard Brotzen were especially pleased at being awarded the Rice Alumni Association’s Gold Medal in 1989 for “sustained and diverse service to the college system and to the university.”

An avid traveler, she visited over 80 countries on six continents.

Survivors: son Franz Ridgway Brotzen, daughter Julie Ridgway Brotzen, daughter-in-law Alexandra Hilary Smith, grandson Franz Sode Brotzen-Smith, granddaughter Clara Ridgway Brotzen-Smith, nephew Walker Grant, niece Lynn Adams. Preceded in death by husband Franz Richard Brotzen and sister Constance Ridgway Grant.

A memorial service will be held at the Rice University Chapel on the Rice University campus June 25 at 10 a.m. The family suggests contributions to the Brotzen Travel Award or the Franz and Frances Brotzen Fellowship for Material Science at Rice University (Rice University Office of Resource Development, P.O. Box 1892—MS-81

Houston, TX 77251-1892) or Sigma Kappa Sorority Endowment Fund, (8733 Founders Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268).