Frances Cone Kirkpatrick

Frances Cone Kirkpatrick, passed away peacefully at age 91, at Stonegates in Greenville.

Born June 21, 1928 (she always proudly declared she was born on the longest day of the year and the first day of summer) in Savannah, Georgia to Gladys Cassells Cone and Carlton Cone, Fran grew up in Tampa, Florida.  She and her older sister, Carroll enjoyed many summers at Tybee Beach in Georgia. She was Princess in the annual Gasparilla Festival in Tampa. Fran graduated from Plant High School in Tampa and attended Sweet Briar College in Virginia, where she majored in Mathematics and minored in Psychology.

After college, she lived in a tiny apartment with three roommates in New York City, where she worked at the UN. Upon her return to Tampa, Fran met and married her husband, Andrew Booth Kirkpatrick on October 9th, 1954. After their marriage, Fran and Andy moved to Philadelphia for a year and then settled in Wilmington, Delaware, which became their permanent home.

Fran taught at The Tatnall School for several years, teaching Math and Modern dance as well as organizing the annual May Day show. After leaving Tatnall, Fran and Andy adopted their three children, Christine, Melissa and Charlie. Fran loved to garden and always planned her lavish cocktail parties for when her gardens would look the best! She was an active part of the Junior League of Wilmington, loved to play bridge and participate in bridge tournaments and volunteer at Tatnall, while her children attended. She enjoyed travelling to many exotic locations with Andy, usually going on one big trip a year as well as vacationing with her children. Fran enjoyed the beach, particularly Bethany Beach, where they had a vacation home for many years.  She played an active part in the design of her homes in Wilmington, Bethany Beach, and Oxford, MD. After Andy’s retirement, they spent many winters in Key Largo, Florida and continued their travels all over the world. They spent many hours, heads bent over maps, flight schedules and Fodor’s and Michelin guides, planning their trips.

Fran enjoyed her time with her grandchildren, Alex and Andy, watching them swim in their pool, taking them on an annual trip to Skytop Lodge in the Poconos and treating them to many fancy dinners at the Wilmington Country Club, of which she was a member.

She was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Andrew Booth Kirkpatrick and her sister, Carroll Cone Saxton. She is survived by her three children, Christine Gordon Kirkpatrick, Melissa Kirkpatrick Richmond and Charles Andrew Kirkpatrick and her grandchildren, Alex Stephanie and Andrew Clifford Richmond.

Fran will be missed for her intelligence and humor, as well as her honesty and organizational skills (she was forever making lists and diagrams!). In keeping with her last wishes, Fran was cremated and her ashes will be spread in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.