Frances Ann Waelder

Frances Ann Meyer Waelder, age 86, of Fort Smith died January 4, 2015. She was born in Wichita Falls, TX and attended Academy of Mary Immaculate. She graduated from Wichita Falls Senior High School and Hardin Junior College, now Midwestern University. She was presented as a debutante in 1945.

Frances was a lifelong Catholic and a member of Christ the King Church. She was active in St. Edward Auxiliary and served on the Board for many years. One of the highlights was when President Ford came for the dedication of the new hospital and signed her program. She also served on the Friends of the Library Board. She was a lifelong Republican. She loved to play bridge and always jokingly said that was her major in college. She enjoyed traveling and art. Santa Fe, NM and California were two of her favorite places to visit. Frances was preceded in death by her husband, Fred J. Waelder. She is survived by her two sons, Rowe and his wife, Sherry, of Ft. Smith and Martin and his wife, Sandra, of Tulsa; four granddaughters, Whitney Chillingworth and her husband, Erik, of Tulsa, Molly Knox and her husband, Hogan, of Little Rock, Lauren Waelder and her husband, Ludwig Barragan, of Austin, TX and Mary Waelder, Rice University, Houston, TX. She is also survived by her friends, LaSonia Whitmore and Constance Gaines. Funeral Mass will be held at 12:30 on Friday, January 9, 2015, at Christ the King Chapel under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Fort Smith, with inurnment at Christ the King Church Columbarium. Memorials may be made to Christ the King Catholic Church, 1920 S. Greenwood, Ft. Smith, AR 72901, Single Parent Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 8108, Ft. Smith, AR 72902, or Ft. Smith Public Library, Barbara Jane Walker Genealogy Fund, 3201 Rogers Ave., Ft. Smith, AR 72903. Online condolences may be sent to www.edwardsfuneralhome.com.