Frances Roderick Barnard Bagwell Axelson

Frances Roderick Barnard Bagwell Axelson, born in Wichita, KN in 1923, died on October 2, 2014 at Hospice El Paso. She was 91 and a life-long El Pasoan. An energetic civic leader and caring philanthropist, she concentrated on her beloved city working with The El Paso Community Foundation where she served as Chairman of the Board and was a longtime Director Emeritus, the executive director, Eric Pearson, called her “the brightest star he ever knew.” The El Paso Symphony Orchestra, founded by her father, Dorrance D. Roderick, the long-time publisher of the El Paso Times and founder of KROD Radio and TV Stations, was another cause very dear to her heart. She graduated from Radford School where she was May Queen and later served on Radford’s Board of Directors. She attended Peabody Conservatory studying piano and her family remembers her playing Claire de Lune beautifully. She graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore MD where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and was also May Queen again. She was proud to represent El Paso when she was chosen to be Sun Queen in 1944. She was married to Lt. Bruce M. Barnard at West Point Chapel on June 5, 1945, his graduation day, later joining him with their first born, Francie in Kyoto, Japan, where he served in the U.S. Army. She married Jesse Clinton Bagwell, who was a naval aviator in World War II, in McKee Chapel at the Church of St. Clement on April 3, 1964. Her last husband, Robert Axelson, in whose 1st wedding at Annapolis, she served as maid of honor, was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a submariner in World War II.

She worked tirelessly for the Junior League, volunteered at Providence Hospital for 37 years, where she also served on the Board of Directors and was always focused on the welfare of the infirm and elderly. She also served as a Red Cross nurse’s aide during World War II, on the board of Texas Commerce Bank, as a Cub Scout den mother, a member of Radford and Western Hills Elementary PTAs, a member of The National Conference of Christians and Jews, El Paso Historical Society and The El Paso Museum of Art. She enjoyed being a member of Los Viejos, Las Commadres and Los Caballeros. A devoted member of Church of St. Clement, she assisted in communion services at White Acres and Monte Vista retirement communities. A member of Coronado Country Club from its inception, she was an avid golfer, who won the President’s Cup twice. She enjoyed snow and water skiing and horseback riding in her youth, but swimming was a life-long pursuit. Other favorite pastimes were reading and corresponding with friends and family. Frannie loved to travel and visited Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Canada, China, Japan and Mexico and spent summers on the beach in La Jolla and at the family cabin at Electra Lake in Colorado.

Vibrant, spunky, opinionated, confident, mischievous, outspoken, humorous, charismatic and kind, she was a great beauty her entire life and generous giver to all. Beloved by family and so many friends, she has been described by them as a hummingbird in constant motion, a dynamo and a force of nature. God, her family and close circle of friends were the center of her life. She lived surrounded by the beauty of her garden and lovely home, filled with numerous photographs of her adored family and friends and was always available to listen; she was especially adept at advising on matters of the heart and dispensing fashion suggestions based on her exceptional sense of style. She loved relaying the latest news and her father often quipped, “Frannie has greater circulation than the El Paso Times.”

Beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, she was pre-deceased by her parents, Dorrance Douglas and Olga B. Roderick, parents-in- law: Bruce M. and Mary B. J. Barnard and Dorothy Smith Bagwell, her grandparents Joseph and Martha Turrentine Burnett and Taliesin Evan and Mary Estella Dorrance Roderick. Her brother, Dorrance D. Roderick, Jr., her son, Bruce M. Barnard, III and husbands Bruce McCheane Barnard, Jr., Jesse Clinton Bagwell, Jr. and Robert A. Axelson, Sister-in-law Patricia Rafferty Roderick and caregiver, Adelina Garcia-Trinidad.

Survivors include daughters Frances Roderick Barnard of Swampscott, MA, Mary Olga Barnard of El Paso, step son Jesse Clinton Bagwell, III (Catherine) of Tallahassee, FL, step daughter Patricia Axelson Gaines of Cincinnati, daughters-in-law Peggy Beckstrand Barshop (Steven) of Los Angeles, Sara Brandt Sheffield (Robert) of Santa Barbara, granddaughter-in-law, Claire Barnard. Grandchildren: Courtney Jennings Barnard of Agoura Hills CA, Bruce M. Barnard IIII “Cuatro” (Jenny) of Durango CO, Sara Hayden Huller (Charles) of Santa Barbara, Elizabeth Brandt Kaupisch (Adam) of Flagstaff, Raft Barnard of Denver, Taliesin McCheane Woodward (Gabriel Roth) of New York City, Davis Williams Barnard-Fowlkes (Margeaux Cohen) of New York City, Sgt. George Roderick Barnard (Amanda McKay) of Ft. Sill, OK, Alexander Bondurant Barnard “Sasha” of Swampscott, MA, Natalya Frances Olga Barnard (Christopher Maniscalco) of Lynn MA, Jesse McCheane Roderick Vredenburgh of Austin, TX, Sara Katia Francesca Garcia of San Marcos, TX. Great-grandchildren: Steven B. Shaleen, Raliegh Barnard (Ava), Aspen and Myles Barnard, Charlotte and Gregory Bruce Huller, Elsa and Ingrid Kaupisch, Eliza Frances Woodward Roth “Zadie” and Theodore Anthony Woodward Roth “Theo”, George Joshua Roderick Barnard. Step granddaughters: Elizabeth Gaines Quammen (David) of Bozeman MT, Kathleen Gaines Madison (David) of Bozeman MT. Step great granddaughters: Lily and Mae Madison, Sister-in-Law, Nancy Dunkle Roderick Lynch, nieces and nephews; Jane Crockett (Robert), Carol Gilcrease (William), D.D. Roderick III “Doug,” (Elizabeth), Nancy Lynn Pawelka (Scott), E.E. Roderick “Evan” (Wendy), Polly O’ Dorisio (Jesse) and second cousin Kathy Kiel Johnson (Blake) of Wimberley, TX. Love and many thanks to Andrea Chairez, Esperanza Romero and Maria Elena Rodriguez A. for their years of care.

Funeral Service will be held on Friday, October 10, 2014 at 11:00AM at Church of St. Clements, 810 Campbell St, with Revs. William C. Cobb, Ronald R. Thomson, William Francis officiating.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to El Paso Community Foundation, El Paso Symphony Orchestra, P.O. Box 180, 79942 and The Church of St. Clements, 810 Campbell ST, El Paso, Texas 79902.

Services entrusted to Martin Funeral Home West, 128. N. Resler Dr. El Paso, Texas 79912. www.MartinFuneralHomeWest.com