Mercifully, no one ever called her “Alma”, and she was known to everyone either as Frances, Mom, Ms. King, or Granny. The youngest of 5 children, Frances was born in Barbour County, Alabama on July 16, 1919 and moved to Columbus, GA with her family at the age of 13. Her sister, Mary Lee, or “Wee” (as Frances named her) was 3-years old when Frances was born, and the two Bradley girls remained best friends, roommates, neighbors, and the closest of confidants for life.
In many ways, Frances lived a life that you couldn’t replicate today. With a strong desire to learn, she became a “self-made” woman. She worked in Bibb Mill and moved into a secretarial role in the administrative office after completing some night courses that taught things like using an adding machine, taking dictation, and typing. Though she never managed to master the dictation and typing, she interviewed for a small, family-owned insurance company and was hired in 1956 as one of the first “non-family” employees of American Family Life Insurance Company of Columbus. She worked hard and took the advice she was offered by Mr. John Shelby Amos and his sons, John, Bill, and Paul to invest back into the company. She was a lifelong learner and never went to bed without reading the local newspaper. She read the paper to stay current and to keep tabs on her Aflac shareholders.
Through hard work and company loyalty, in 1969, she was promoted to Assistant Secretary & Stock Registrar, making her the first female officer at the company that would become Aflac. Many lifelong friendships were forged for her at Aflac - including with many younger women she mentored in the workplace. Frances retired in 1986 as the Vice President of Stock Transfer, and the running joke for her grandchildren has been that Aflac paid Granny NOT to come to work for longer than they paid her to work.
Although she will undoubtedly be remembered by many as a pioneering business woman, nothing made her happier than her family. Married young to Harrison King, she raised 3 children - Laurence, Charles & Sue - in both Bibb City and the North Highland neighborhood of Columbus. She eventually built a home for them on 46th Street where they lived until 1980 with her sister, Wee, as her next door neighbor. Everyone was always welcome at Ms. King’s house and around her table. She chaperoned many trips of teenagers to Panama City Beach, including a memorable high school graduation beach trip with her niece, Nancy Buntin, and her friends. She was known for her open heart and tough love and received the affectionate nickname “The Warden” from Laurence’s friends. Her children knew they could always count on Mom and that they were deeply loved by her, and she was proud of them as they finished school, became adults, got married, and settled with children of their own.
Frances married Ford Lolley in 1988. Although they were only married 4 short years before he passed away, Ford added lots of love, a lot more family, and a garden of roses and sunroom full of African violets to Frances’ life.
Frances doted on her grandchildren and made sure they had everything they needed and almost everything they wanted. She passed them notes and chewing gum in the pews at North Highland Church, and she made sure each one of them had a car to drive when they turned 16. Her Sunday lunch table and her swimming pool were open, welcoming places to her grandchildren and every single one of their friends. She hosted countless summer birthday parties and grandkid sleepovers. There were always things to play “dress-up” in at her house - fur coats, Hawaiian shirts, costume jewelry, silky robes, and funny hats. She made the absolute best tomato sandwiches, Sunday roast, and lemon icebox pie. And everybody called her “Granny.”
Her great-grandchildren were, in her opinion, the best people God ever made, and they all feel blessed to have had their Granny for so long. When they discovered that you couldn’t buy sandwich bread in the store until 1928, they took to saying, “Sliced bread is the best thing since Granny!” They brought a lot of laughter into her life.
Frances lived for the last 21 years at Spring Harbor where she became a beloved community member and received exceptional care. She was also very blessed by the fellowship of her Sunday School class at Wynnbrook Baptist Church.
The family extends a special thanks and deep appreciation to her caregivers: Verlinda, Karen, Kiki, Tammy, Shontia, Andrea and Katrina. Having lived to 107, Frances was predeceased by nearly all her loved ones but a few that should be named: her parents and her siblings, including Mary Lee and her husband, Bonzy Hobby; her late-in-life love, Ford Lolley; Harrison King, and her much-loved sons, Laurence and Charles; her beloved in-laws, Frances Crim, Peggy King and John Dalelio; and her granddaughter, Kristy Childs. She is survived by her dearest daughter, Sue Dalelio; proud grandchildren, John (Heather) Dalelio, Jana (Jason) Harwell, and Kayce King; and a large loving group of great-grandchildren - Charleigh and Bailey Childs, Bradley and Jack Dalelio; Molly, Sam and Nate Harwell; and Logan and Landon Bowers. In addition, she leaves a whole host of family who called her Aunt Frances.
Frances will be remembered for her dignity and grace; for her faith and humor; for her hospitality and generosity; but, most of all, she will be remembered for her love.
Family and friends are invited to gather for visitation on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, 4071 Macon Road, Columbus, GA 31907, with a funeral service to follow in the Fisher Chapel starting at 11:00 a.m. at the same location.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to make a donation in Frances’ memory to The John B. Amos Cancer Center or The Bill & Olivia Amos Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
