Frances Hagberg Graham passed away on August 1, 2023. A retired lawyer and more, she frequently posted on the Class of '68 reunion website; click the "1968" button to see what she had to say.
Susan Scheinman Leonard '68 posted: So sorry to hear about Frankie Hagberg. What a vibrant, elegant woman. My last 2 years in Johnson House would not have been as good without her. My condolences to family and friends.
https://www.washburn-mcreavy.com/obituaries/Frances-Graham-6/#!/Obituary
Edna Chu (Chun) (1968)
Really sorry to learn of this loss in our Oberlin family.
Ann Young (1967)
Frankie and I reconnected a couple of years ago and talked frequently since then, up to just a few weeks before she lost all ability to talk as the result of a stroke, and then we lost her. I loved comparing notes about our lives and thoughts and the world since those innocent days so long ago being roommates. It was truly heartbreaking "seeing" it happen, though from miles away. She was a lovely person.
Susan Gardner (1968)
She and I didn't know each other well in college, but as we attended reunions we found a common bond. She was very thoughtful and elegant. I'll miss seeing her at future gatherings.
Ted Morgan (1968)
I'm very sorry to hear of Frankie's passing, and appreciate Ann's additional information My most recent memory of Frankie is her many wise contributions she made to our class's discussions about Oberliln finances and other issues we were grapplng with. On several occasions we were kind of going round and round on an issue and Frankie would offer thoughtful comments grounded in her relevant experiences which helped guide our way to a kind of consensus. She'll be missed by many of us.
Herbert Ziegler (1968)
Frankie was kind, direct and open about her feelings and opinions—always heartfelt and articulate. She was easy to talk with, about personal things, politics, policy, and everyday things. This is the age of loss but as each bell tolls It hits me hard—Frankie’s death particularly hard. Frankie was a good friend, a soulmate. Through the years we kept in touch sporadically, getting together several times. We reconnected at the 50th, both having recently lost our spouses, and worked on reviving our friendship. I miss her.
Ann Young (1967)
Herbie - It was nice to see your comment. I realized that I had mis-spoken in my earlier comment. I was talking with Frankie up to a month or so before she died, but up to the day before she lost the ability to speak. We had connected after her first husband, Tom Graham, had died, which I saw in my Vanderbilt Law alumni magazine. We found we had more recent loss in common - she of her second dear husband, I of two siblings who had died, and another who has Alzheimer's. It was wonderful talking fairly frequently with each other, and provided a comfort of a sort that is more and more dear as we lose those dear to us to death. She had had a pacemaker put in not that long before she died, and then seemed to be having a stroke. The doctors in New Mexico wanted to do an MRI, and she was concerned because of the pacemaker, but went ahead with it. After the MRI she pretty much stopped being able to talk. It was so sudden, and so heartbreaking. I guess we are more and more into that age where we lose people, and losing her was particularly sad for me.
I know you have suffered loss as well, but I understand that you now have renewed hope in your life. To all, treasure it while it lasts.