Service for Fran Hollett is Thursday
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Fran and her husband, the late Byron P. "Barney" Hollett ’36, were legendary supporters of Wabash College and gave of their time, talent, and treasure to make Wabash a stronger institution.
Short URL: http://wabash.edu/news/9431
| • March 29, 2012 |
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Wabash College is mourning the loss of a beloved friend and honorary alumna, Frances D. "Fran" Hollett H’85, who passed away shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday. She was 81.
Memorial services for Fran will be held at Meridian Street United Methodist Church, 5500 N. Meridian St. on Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 11 a.m. Friends are invited to visit with the family in the church parlor from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service.
In lieu of flowers, it was Fran's wish that memorial contributions be made to: Meridian Street United Methodist Church, 5500 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, IN, 46208 or Riley Children's Foundation, 30 S. Meridian St., Ste 200, Indianapolis, IN, 46204.
Fran and her husband, the late Byron P. "Barney" Hollett ’36, were legendary supporters of Wabash College and gave of their time, talent, and treasure to make Wabash a stronger institution. We invite Wabash alumni and friends to share their memories of Fran and Barney using the "comments" feature below.
A native of Rockport, Indiana and graduate of Indiana State University, Fran became the first woman ever named an Honorary Alumna of Wabash when the NAWM made her an honorary member of the Class of 1985. At that time the NAWM said, "You are widely known for your enthusiastic support of Wabash and kindness to numerous students."
In 2006, Fran was inducted in the Wabash College Athletics Hall of Fame, at which time she was described as "one of Wabash's most fervant supporters regardless of the score."
She was active in her lifetime at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and as a board member of the Shepherd Center and the Indianapolis Retirement Home.
| Reader Comments: | |
| What a sad loss! Barney and Fran were our continuing link to Wabash after we left nearly thirty-five years ago. Fran was really the last of "our gang" from those good years. On Saturday evening, we raised our glasses, rang the little Monon Bell from the 1993 Centennial game, and tooted the "Alabamy Bound" whistle distributed before we all flew to Phoenix City for the Stagg Bowl in 1977. We will miss Fran as we miss those good times. Thad Seymour posted by Thaddeus Seymour (seymourtandp@gmail.com) on 04/03/12 08:04 AM | |
| I agree with John Barry, I don't believe that she ever had a bad day. When I visited with her last month, I don't think she was feeling her best, but the first thing she wanted to know was if I had heard any good jokes recently. I will miss greatly trading joke for joke with her. posted by C. Davies Reed '85 (daviesreed@comcast.net) on 04/01/12 02:53 PM | |
| My thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Hollett family. Fran was a "bigger than life" caring person..I remember seeing her at so many Wabash events over the years, supporting the students and College in a unique "rah, rah" way. My family and the Holletts have a long, warm history. Fran and Barney were good friends of my folks, so I had the honor of knowing them in and outside of Wabash...She will be missed. posted by Rick Fobes '72 (rwfobes@gmail.com) on 04/01/12 11:27 AM | |
| Fran shared Barney's enthusiam for Wabash in aa way that only a few wives do. Her obvious love for Wabash
College was manifest in so many ways. She will be missed. posted by Morrie Adams (rmorrisa@sbcglobal.net) on 03/31/12 12:08 PM | |
| Fran was a wonderful person to be around. She would do anything for any of us. In the late 70's we shared many a toast with her and Barney after several DePauw thumpings. She never had a bad day.A great lady. posted by John Barry (jbar825@hotmail.com) on 03/30/12 08:46 PM | |
| Tom Hollett, I can still remember leaving the Gridiron and seeing those Big Blue eyes of Barney smiling at us because we did good job that day. And they continued smiling in the many years after we graduated. posted by Robert "Bob" Schwab '56 (rhsmms@comcast.net) on 03/30/12 08:11 PM | |
| Tom Hollett, I can still remember leaving the Gridiron and seeing those Big Blue eyes of Barney smiling at us because we did good job that day. And they continued smiling in the many years after we graduated. posted by Robert "Bob" Schwab '56 (rhsmms@comcast.net) on 03/30/12 08:10 PM | |
| We, members of the Class of '85, were so proud when Fran joined our ranks. Now we are simply grateful, Rafael Chacon posted by H. Rafael Chacon (hrafael.chacon@umontana.edu) on 03/30/12 05:30 PM | |
| ahh but that we all could love the sacred portals the way she did.........some little giant.... posted by ivancevich (ivansusancaleb@gmail.com) on 03/30/12 03:11 PM | |
| Dear Jim,
Very sad. Barney was a good friend (and fraternity brother--Sigma Chi) of my late father '26. And he and my brother Jack '53 were good friends of the rest of the Hollett clan, including
Fran, Tom and Johnny. I came out with Mom and Dad to Homecoming from '49 to '53 and we and the Hollets would gather at Liz Lapenta's "castle" on North Meridian. (Liz was a classmate of my mother's at St. Mary of the Woods '29 and Vincent Lapenta's daughter). Liz became Henry J. Kaiser's principal financial advisor, and we stayed in touch until her death.
I first met Barney when I was 6 (at Homecoming in 1949) and stayed in touch with him in Indy over the years, and last saw him when I was in C'ville for my 30th reunion.
It is always sad when the old guard pass on.
Many of the group (my father's contemporaries) that graduated in the 20's and 30's (like Dick Banta '26 and Gene Beesley '29) were very interesting men. Dad and I would visit with LeeMcCanliss '07 in New York in the 1950's, with Ferdy Tannenbaum '12 (great Wabash summer parties at Cornwell on the Hudson in the 1950's), Parrish Fuller '15, Pierre Goodrich '16 and Ray Ehrensberger '29 in DC, not to mention innumerable visits to our home in Philadelphia by Byron Trippet '30.
Nor to forget superstars like Bill Haines, Ben Rogge and Paul McKinney.
And so on.
Best, David posted by David Scott () on 03/30/12 01:07 PM | |
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