FRANKIE NELL BEARDEN PARR, 88, of Baird,
TX passed away on Jan. 25, 2022, with burial at
Ross Cemetery Annex.
She was born on July 24, 1933 to Claude Clarence
Bearden & his wife, Emma Cunningham Bearden in
Ranger, TX. She was the youngest of six children.
Frankie was raised on a farm outside of Morton
Valley, and her senior year, they moved to Ranger
where she attended Ranger High School in the Class
of 1950. She started her career with Southwestern
Bell as a telephone operator. She met the love or
her life, LeRoy M. Parr in Ranger. He was from
Oklahoma and was working with his brother.
She & LeRoy married in Ranger in July of 1953. She
was 20 years old. They briefly moved to Baird and
then bought a house in Abilene, where they had their
first son, Michael LeRoy Parr. They moved back to
Baird and bought their current house and had their
second son, Mitchell Wade Parr.
Frankie became a grandmother instantly in 1980 when
Michael married Janet Cole. She had a son James and
daughter Amie. They were Frankie and LeRoy's little
angels. In 1982, Frankie became a grandmother again
to Jonathan Michael Parr. All three were so precious
to her. Frankie was always there to watch over them,
as they lived across the street.
On any given day, you could find her either in the
yard, garden or one of her flower beds. She loved
gardening. When she wasn't outside, she was inside
cooking and cleaning. She was meticulous about a
clean house. She was known for canning vegetables,
making jellies and preserves and pickling, not to
mention her cakes, pies, candies and other desserts.
When it came to cooking, Frankie's meals were hard
to beat. She always made more than enough for seconds
or for when someone popped in at mealtime, in which
all were welcomed. Seems like she always had a cake
for the family to snack on or for anyone who stopped
by. She usually had at least one in the freezer. The
favorite of most was her buttermilk pound cake.
She retired from Southwestern Bell with 33 years of
service. She began as an operator, and also worked
in repair and several other positions so she could
stay in Abilene. She retired to care for and spend
time traveling with LeRoy when he was diagnosed with
cancer.
She helped raise money for the American Cancer Society.
She was a member of First Baptist Church, with a strong
belief in religion and family.
Frankie is preceded in death by her loving husband,
LeRoy; her parents Claude and Emma Bearden; sisters
Altha May Bearden, Clairedell Dupree Gremillion and
Bonnie Taylor; brothers W.H. (Dub) Bearden and Jack
Bearden; and a niece, Debra Bearden Vinson.
She is survived by her sons, Michael Parr of Baird and
Mitchell Parr of Grand Prairie; three grandchildren,
James Cole and wife Kimberley of Baird, Amie King and
husband Shannon of Abilene, and Jonathan Parr and wife
Jonna of Quannah; four great-grandchildren, Zak King,
Baylee King, PratherParr and Collier Parr; and by her
much loved nieces and nephews.