At the age of 100 years, Frances Persons of Atlanta, died early on Sunday morning, May 15, 2022. She passed peacefully at home in her sleep and was surrounded and visited during the final hours by her many family members, loved ones, friends and caregivers. She is survived by her 99-year-old husband, Benjamin S. Persons, with whom she shared a deeply devoted marriage for 75 years.
Born as Mary Frances Neisler in Reynolds, GA on March 26, 1922, she was from the beginning a musical prodigy. She began piano lessons at age three and would continue from there building a lifelong legacy of practicing, learning, teaching, concert performing and CD-recording of classical piano. She went on to win numerous regional piano competitions and was awarded several gold medals as well as receiving countless accolades. She told the painful yet humorous story of how her virtuous banking father, John Howard Neisler, persuaded her to surrender the solid gold medals in response to a 1933 executive order from FDR.
Frances was the valedictorian of her high-school graduating class in Reynolds, GA. She was offered several full college scholarships and selected the scholarship to Shorter College in Rome, GA based on the national strength of their music program. At Shorter College she would go on to be the valedictorian of her graduating class as a Music Major.
WWII was in full swing when she graduated, so Frances channeled her talents toward helping the war effort. She travelled to California and began working for Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a Data Analyst. Based on her ability to perform complex calculations quicker than others, she was promoted to a leader on the team that performed Flutter Point Analysis of the B57 bomber, ensuring the safety and air worthiness of the first jet in US military history capable of dropping bombs during combat.
After the war ended, in 1946 she married Ben, who returned home having received the Silver Star in combat against the Nazis. Frances would go on to support Ben in establishing a globally successful career in consulting civil engineering. Together they would bring forth five children, three of whom survived beyond birth – Donna (1949), Steve (1951) and Robbie (1957). Frances would always say that her greatest contributions were her children, who were never off her mind for a single moment. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren remain deeply loving and devoted to her memory.
Frances would go on to make other contributions and accomplishments. She was one of the first women Elders in the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA). She was appointed Lieutenant Colonel, Aide de Camp by the Governor of Georgia. She did extensive mission work in Jamaica and Yucatan through her church, Roswell Presbyterian. She was a Stephen Minister in her church. She was a Founding Board Member of the Southern Ballet Company. She fostered and led the music program at her church to become nationally recognized. She taught school at Morgan Falls Elementary. She established a music scholarship at Shorter College. She was an avid tournament-level bridge player and hosted weekly games at the Capital City Country Club up until she was 99 years old. She was voted Alumna of the Year at Shorter College. She taught piano lessons and mentored countless young musicians. Accompanying her husband on business travel, she encircled the globe many times, visited 60+ countries and lived in Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and Native American reservations over the course of many years. She made several classical piano CD recordings and performed many recitals with fellow musician friends. Chopin, Bach, Beethoven, Ravel, Debussy, Mozart, Scriabin, Grieg, Rachmaninoff and Bernstein were her favorite composers while Arthur Rubinstein, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Art Tatum were her favorite pianists.
In addition to her husband, Frances is survived by her daughter, Donna Gold (husband Harry) and her sons, Steve Persons (wife Madeleine) and Robbie Persons (ex-wife Leslie); grandchildren, Ben Persons, IV (wife Amanda), Will Persons, Django Catalano, Jo Davis (husband Peter) and Jacob Persons; great grandchildren, Alafair Persons, James Persons, Oliver Persons, Kori Catalano, Bradley Davis and Cora Davis. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra or any organization that promotes classical music. Graveside services will be held at 2PM on Thursday May 19, 2022 at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, GA.
