Frances Rivers LaGrone Bolen, 93, of Selma, was called to her heavenly home on January 1, 2014.  She is survived by her daughters, Linda Lee MacKay (David) of Auburn, AL and Anne Katherine Lemmon, of Gonzales, LA; and her granddaughters Meredith Anne MacKay (Greg Lavine) of Arlington, VA, and Katherine Paige MacKay (Tom Keefe) of Lake Geneva, WI.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 67 years Frank Seay Bolen; her parents, Ocie Columbus LaGrone and Fannie Burdin LaGrone of Selma; and her brother Columbus Lee LaGrone of Ft. Worth, TX.

Frances was born October 9, 1920, and grew up in Selma. She met her husband Frank at First Baptist Church.  She and Frank were high school sweethearts.  Frances graduated from Alabama College for Women, now Montevallo University, in 1941, and she and Frank were married on October 18, 1942.  She followed Frank to Army Air Corps training bases in Texas and Tennessee as he prepared to fly as bombardier on a B-17 during World War II.

When Frank deployed to England, Frances stayed in Selma and gave birth to their first child, Linda, on September 14, 1944, shortly after Frank was shot down over Germany.  He was captured by the Nazis and interned as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany.  Frances’ faith in God sustained her through the dark days that followed until Frank was liberated and returned home in June, 1945.

After the war they made their home in Selma.  Frances was employed by the Alabama Power Company for over 33 years.  She retired as district secretary in November, 1985.

Frances served God at First Baptist Church in many capacities throughout her life.  She was a member of the Sanctuary Choir for 43 years, director of the Young Adult Department with her life-long friend, Dr. Sam Mosely, and, according to our family folklore, she was the first woman to serve on the First Baptist Church council as church clerk.  She loved to write poems and often celebrated special occasions for friends with her verses.

Frances was a, devoted wife, loving mother, loyal employee, stalwart citizen of Selma, and, most of all, faithful servant of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our family extends our thanks to all who cared for Frances over the past seven years, including the staff at Cedar Hill Specialty Care and Park Place Nursing Home.  Our special angels on Mother’s journey home have been Lynn Alexander and Faye Lane.

The family will receive visitors at First Baptist Church at 1:00 PM on Saturday, January 4th in the Kathleen Mallory Parlor.  A graveside service will follow at New Live Oak Cemetery at 2:30.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to First Baptist Church’s Sanctuary Choir or Building Fund, P.O. Box 1186, Selma, AL 36702.