A service celebrating Frances’ life will be held at First Baptist Church of Richardson at 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, February 16, 2023, with reception to follow.
Frances Messer was born in Tyler, Texas on November 15th, 1928, the tenth and youngest child of Ollie Bereatha (Kennedy) Messer and Sam Marion Messer. As the baby of the large Messer Clan, growing up in rural East Texas during the Great Depression, Frances was imprinted by those leanest of times, shaping her view of the world, influencing her feisty personality, and providing a strong foundation for the development of her life-long faith.
The Messer family moved to Beaumont, Texas while Frances was in high school. There she graduated from Beaumont High School in 1947.
After World War II ended, Frances was introduced by a mutual friend to Bill Arnold, a returning decorated Naval veteran who wanted to meet “that cute girl with the shiny black hair.” After a brief courtship, Bill and Frances were married on September 3rd, 1948, and began what would be a 70-year partnership in a loving, devoted marriage that has been an inspiring example for their three daughters, their families, and all who knew them.
Frances and Bill were blessed with three daughters, Phyllis, Sandra, and Karen. The young mother embraced her duties as housekeeper, cook, and taxi driver for her one-car family. Her daughters attest that she never really liked to cook, though. They say, “That’s why she had three daughters, all who are good cooks. As we got older, we each were given a night to cook for the family.” Frances just viewed that as good parenting, preparing her daughters for life.
A master-seamstress, faithful school volunteer, accomplished PTA president, story-teller deluxe, and director of all things creative, imaginative, and fun for her family, church, and community; these things fueled her spirit and gave her joy. She was an avid gardener with lush gardens wherever she lived. She was the ultimate crafts person that could create, build, paint, and decorate with ingredients and tools that you would never envision. She was the consummate hostess who insisted on being the life of the party, even if she was just a guest. It was in these talents and abilities that she found her sweet spot: her giftedness endowed by God. As friends and family would say, “Frances could be a force of nature when she wanted to accomplish something. You could not only count on it getting done, but always with the Frances flair and creativity.”
In 1969, a new chapter began in Frances’ life when the family moved to Richardson, Texas, after Bill’s employer relocated offices to Dallas. Frances and Bill continued the traditional path on which their lives were built, establishing a church home, and becoming involved in the community.
Frances was a longtime member of the Richardson Women’s Club, providing countless hours in support of their annual Christmas Bazar and Home Tour, making crafts to sell, working booths during the events, even opening her home for the Home Tour. Frances and Bill were active members at First Baptist Richardson since moving in 1969. They were fixtures in their “Cliff Hangers” Sunday School Department, serving in many capacities, with Frances’s favorite being the planning of social events. Frances always had a heart for missions. She was a faithful member and officer of the Women’s Missionary Union, a participant in many missions’ initiatives, both local and foreign, including a mission trip to Australia. She and Bill offered up their home to be a host family for a British Missions Intern couple, developing life-long friendships and providing continuous support for the couple’s ministry efforts. Frances even served on the board of a Baptist Seminary in Alberta, Canada.
One of the first women to be ordained as a church deacon at First Baptist Richardson, Frances served on the Deacon Council, numerous church committees, worked on multiple church capital campaigns, and spearheaded an initiative and fundraising effort that led to the creation of the Kenneth and Anne Gibson Memorial Prayer Garden, honoring her friends and former pastor.
Frances believed her greatest church role was serving in the Children’s Ministry. Sunday School teacher, coordinator, outreach leader, Vacation Bible School leader; there was not a Children’s Ministry volunteer role she hadn’t done multiple times. Frances believed there was no more important use for her God-given creative skills, her story-telling talents, her relentless drive, and her compassion for children than to help lay a foundation of faith in their lives, just like she had received as a child in East Texas. Who better to do that than someone like Frances Arnold who remained always a kid-at-heart.
Besides Bill, the love of her life, Frances’s greatest love was her family. Her three girls, their families, especially her grandchildren, were the center of her life. Every birthday, recital, first trips to Disney World, the many trips for hot dogs, lemonade, and chocolate malts; they were all events not to be missed and to be cherished. As the years added up and dementia set in, it was these memories that she held onto most desperately.
Frances Arnold is survived by her daughters Phyllis Ripkin and husband Joe, Sandra Arnold-Griffin and husband Thomas, Karen Dillard and husband David; grandchildren Layton Hayes and wife Hayley, Hunter Hayes and wife Abha Kundi, Justin Ripkin and wife Lauren, and Caroline Dillard and fiancé Elliot Wilson; great grandchildren Seva Hayes and Korben Ripkin, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, along with her caregiver of more than six years Jeraldine Hamilton, all who loved Frances dearly. Frances was preceded in death by her husband Bill Arnold, her parents Ollie and Sam Messer, and her three brothers and six sisters.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church Richardson.
Arrangements are under the care of Sparkman Funeral Home of Richardson.
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