- Date Of Birth: December 13, 1926
- Date Of Death: March 5, 2021
- State: Oklahoma
Frances Irene Kampschmidt, 94, of Ardmore Oklahoma, went peacefully to be with our Lord on March 5th, 2021 after a brief and sudden illness.
Frances was born on Dec. 13th, 1926 in Evansville, Indiana to Margaret Lee and James Royal Jackson. She had an older sister named Jeanette. The family moved to Kirkwood, Missouri when Frances was 3, eventually purchasing 80 acres of land outside of Wentzville Missouri. Frances’ father remodeled the 100yr old log cabin on the property and they spent many summers at “Cedar Woods Farm” before eventually making it their permanent home.
During WWII, Frances’ father received a commission in the Army Air Corp as a Captain and was stationed in Gainesville and Orlando, Florida. Frances began high school in Wentzville, Mo., but eventually moved with her mother to Florida. There she attended both Gainesville and Orlando High Schools, eventually graduating in Orlando. After graduation the family immediately moved to Washington, DC where her father had been transferred to work in the Pentagon.
While in Washington DC Frances also assisted in the war effort at the Pentagon. During her time there she started a unique “coin” collection by asking any General or high-ranking officer she met in the Pentagon’s hallways for a penny from their pocket – along with their autograph of course. She even obtained a penny and signature from Gen. Eisenhower.
After the war Frances’ family returned to “Cedar Woods Farm”, she moved to St. Louis and attended Washington University’s School of Fine Arts. Upon graduation, she began her career in commercial advertising, initially in St. Louis and later New York City, eventually landing in Chicago with an advertising job at Goldblatt’s Department Store. That is where she met Dr. Ralph Fredrick Kampschmidt at a Methodist Church’s young singles gathering in Oak Park, Illinois. They were married, October 24, 1954 in Kirkwood Missouri, just three months after first meeting. They soon relocated to Ardmore, Oklahoma when Ralph took a biomedical research position with the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.
In Ardmore, Ralph and Frances raised four children, all in the family’s home on 15th St., Northwest. After her children were grown Frances continued her own career establishing an advertising agency which served local businesses. Over the years she self started and ran several other small local businesses.
In Ardmore, Frances and Ralph enjoyed playing in several bridge clubs, attending community concerts with their family and being members of the Two Left Feet Dance Club.
Frances was a strong, confident and fiercely independent woman. She had a deep love of the arts. She played violin and piano. She was a talented painter, proudly earning numerous accolades in community art competitions and exhibitions. She loved attending the Community Concerts, art exhibits, and theater at the Goddard Center. She was a very active member of the Ardmore Art Guild, Madill Art Club, and the Republican Party, An avid bridge, poker, domino, and pinochle player, she enjoyed many days spent playing with friends.
She was a loyal member of the First United Methodist Church. She had a love for cats and always had at least one affectionate feline companion.
She was Preceded in death by her husband Ralph and her sister Jeannette and husband George of Kirkwood, Mo. She is survived by her children Kimberly Weber and husband Bob of Fulshear, Texas; Dr. Kit Kampschmidt and wife Ann of Houston Texas; Coby Lee Neher and husband Brett of Ardmore; Kerry Kampschmidt and wife Camille of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Her Grandchildren Allison Kirk and husband Bryan of Houston Texas; Sara Weber of Houston, Texas and Jake Weber of Houston Texas; Dr. Jordan Kampschmidt and wife Melissa of San Antonio Texas; Erin Blackmon and husband Glenn of Chicago Illinois; Dr. Chris Williams and wife Jennifer of Ardmore Oklahoma; Bryce Fore and wife Meredith of Seattle Washington; and Kaeli and Kira Kampschmidt of Albuquerque, New Mexico as well as her bonus grandson Scott Neher and wife Allyson of Ardmore Oklahoma and two great-grandchildren, Ari Williams of Ardmore and Clark Kirk of Houston and bonus great-grandsons Tyler, Colin, Boston and Dillon Neher. Other survivors include her sister-in-law Jo Kampschmidt of Shelbina, Missouri and many nieces and nephews.
