Frances Rosetta Denmon

She was the youngest child born to Whirter Henry Warren and Ella Frances (Stovall) Warren on July 13, 1913, in Fort Worth, Texas. Frances was united in holy matrimony to the late Arthur Lee “Buck” Denmon of Mansfield, Texas, on November 2, 1944, in Weatherford, Texas. They made their home in the Riverside edition of Fort Worth. To their union, one precious child was born, Audrey Denmon-Hester, also of Fort Worth.

Frances received Christ and baptism in her early life. She was a member of the now-historic Greater Saint James Baptist Church, established in 1875 in Fort Worth, Texas. Her mother was one of the early members who helped to build and establish the church. Frances was actively involved in church activities, including serving on the Sunday School Board and regular participation in the Baptist Training Union and Vacation Bible School. Although Frances was born and raised Baptist, as she grew older, she renewed her spiritual faith, which led her to the Pentecostal Church. In 1975, she united with the Liberty Temple Church under the leadership of Rev. W. A. Bond. In 1991, she became a charter member of the New Life Worship Center under the leadership of Rev. Randy A. Lescalleet. She remained resolutely faithful to God, and she continued to be an active member of her church for as long as her health permitted.

Frances obtained her primary and secondary education in the Fort Worth Independent School District, graduating from I.M. Terrell High School in 1933. She then enrolled at Prairie View A&M College in Prairie View, Texas. Later, she received numerous certifications through continued education, including a vocational certification in Business English from the Fort Worth Public School System; a certification as a nursing assistant through Fort Worth’s John Peter Smith Hospital; and certification through Tarrant County Junior College in the Home Health Nursing industry. Until her retirement at the age of sixty-three, she was employed in the nursing field, working in hospitals and homes for the Family Service Travelers Aid Association under the United Way of Tarrant County.

Part of her early career included serving her country through the United States Civil Service during World War II. As a civilian, she was trained in the state of Washington as a parachute packer for the United States Army Air Force. She returned home and to the Central Flying Training Command at the Fort Worth Army Air Field, where she received specialized course certification in blueprint reading and technical orders related to parachute packing. She worked as a licensed parachute packer at the Army Air Field and was ranked as an expert in this field.

Shortly after marriage, Frances and her husband started and operated their family business, which specialized in tire service for large commercial trucks. Working closely with her husband, Frances played a significant role in the business. Among other jobs to help run the business, she was particularly skilled in bookkeeping.

It is also noteworthy that when Frances was a young woman, she was the first Black elevator operator at the upscale Monnig’s Department Store, once located in downtown Fort Worth, during a time of widespread racism and discrimination. Frances was a hard worker and active in various civic and community services, including serving on her neighborhood voter registration committee during the 1960s. She was a strong proponent of education and was heavily involved with the Parent-Teacher Association at her child’s school. She sacrificed a great deal in order to provide the best education possible for her daughter, Audrey. One of her greatest contributions was her staunch support of Audrey’s educational endeavors.

Frances was a wonderful mother, wife, sister, aunt, and friend who always embodied the virtues of a lady. She was a mentor to many young women in her neighborhood, giving them advice, tremendous guidance, and teaching them the basic skills of home and family living. Frances enjoyed domestic family life, which included cooking, baking, and keeping an immaculate house and well-manicured lawn. She and her husband enjoyed some travel and were a vital part of a close-knit social set of friends. She was a trendsetter in women’s fashion, and her incredibly ageless beauty was admired by everyone—young and old alike. She loved life and her family, who loved her for both her kind spirit and outspokenness. But her foremost concern was to live her life as a Christian woman.

The granddaughter of slaves, Frances survived to be ninety-nine years old, which is both a blessing and a testament to her endurance. Since her birth, the U.S. population has more than tripled, and she has lived through twenty-five leap years and seventeen U.S. presidents. She was a registered voter up until her death and was blessed to live long enough to vote for Barack Obama, America’s first Black president. During her life, she was faced with many struggles and battles on a personal and national level. She survived the Great Depression, two World Wars, and lived through strict Jim Crow segregation. But she was not someone who was easily broken. Her inner strength and fierce determination enabled her to persevere and overcome many obstacles and hardships. Yet, through it all, she remained perpetually youthful. Her quick wit and beautiful smile will be missed by everyone who knew her, and her spirit will always serve as an inspiration and guiding force in the lives of her family and friends.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents and her eight siblings, with the first five being born during her mother’s first marriage to Pad Chandler: Lee Chandler, Riley Chandler, Katie (Chandler) Johnson, Hattie Chandler, and Lorita (Chandler) Henderson. The last three siblings were born during her mother’s second marriage to Whirter Warren: Jewell (Warren) Hunt-Melton, Della (Warren) Montgomery-Fields, and Isaac Warren; six nephews, Leon, Ray, and David Chandler; Sylvester Jr., Bert, and Orien Montgomery; and her former husband, “Buck”.

Frances is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Audrey and Jim Hester; four nieces, Lady Higgins, Bobbie Montgomery, Dr. Billie Thomas of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Pastor Jackie Bray; and other extended family members.