Frances Moore Frampton

John Donne wrote, in "Meditation 17", "When one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated." To me, this represents exactly the way Nana Frampton lived her life and precisely the legacy she leaves behind. Saturday morning, she passed away, and those of us who were lucky enough to know her lost a truly special person. She was a warm, loving soul, who brightened any room she entered. My sisters and I were very fortunate to have Nana and Papa Frampton live next door to us for a few years, and the Smith girls were kind enough to share their wonderful grandparents with us. Nana always had plenty of clothes for dress up, lots of great nooks and crannies for us us to hide in, and songs and music galore. Those years were some of the most formative for us and the adults we would become. I have cherished memories from that time in my life, and the Framptons hold center stage in many of them. How many children can say they had their cat's funeral led by a Reverend Doctor? Thanks to the Framptons, we can.

Nana's passing was not a sudden or unexpected occurrence. She was nearly 88 and had been ill for some time. But it still saddens me to know that I'll never hear her sweet voice again, or feel her hands touch my face as she focuses on trying to hear what I am saying by reading my lips. You see, Nana was greatly hearing impaired, but that did not stop her from making the most of what God gave her. And, while all her friends and family are better people for having had the opportunity to be a part of her circle, there are countless thousands of others whose lives have been enriched by who she was and the things she did in her life. Quoting from her obituary, "Drawing on her musical background and continuing education in children's music, Mrs. Frampton formed large children's choirs in Anderson and Orangeburg that utilized the most advanced techniques of the day. Throughout her ministry she also led Bible studies that were in great demand. Mrs. Frampton was a certified Laubach reading instructor, a trained Hospice volunteer and a staunch advocate for the hearing impaired. She was also an accomplished and published writer of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. In her retirement years at The Presbyterian Home, she wrote a humorous monthly newsletter that raised several thousand dollars for resident aid."
While John Donne may have captured perfectly the impression Nana left, it seems she beat him to the punch. Rather than wait until she was gone to translate the lives of others into better and greater languages, Nana accomplished that while she was still here with us. She is certainly in a better place now. She is with Papa again, and I'm sure they are, together, making Heaven an even better place than it was before she got there. I know there are bands playing, and choirs singing, and the Framptons are leading all the angels in joyous celebration - just like they did in this world.