Frances Virginia Bearden

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 28, 2024, at Village Chapel Funeral Home for Frances “Maw Maw” Virginia Bearden, 97, of Gadsden, who died Sunday, March 24, 2024. Rev. Dixie Ford will officiate. Burial will follow at Rainbow Memorial Gardens. Frances “Maw Maw” Virginia Bearden was a tiny, little woman full of energy and spunk. Her sense of humor was unbeatable, and her independence was unmatched. Frances rarely sat still. She enjoyed “fizzing around” (as she called it) and mowed her own grass until her late 80s—only stopping because her son finally took away her push lawn mower… and her ladders. About a month before her death, Frances got down on her hands and knees to assess and “fix” the drains near her kitchen floor. That's just what she did. That was Frances—hiring a professional was the last option. Born on August 11, 1926, Frances grew up in rural Alabama with her parents, her brother James, and her sister Gladys. Over the years, she took up several occupations. From working in cotton mills where she met her husband Howard to working in defense factories to becoming a lunchroom lady at Emma Sansom High School in Gadsden, Alabama, Frances worked hard to build a life for her family. Frances had one son, Rick, a daughter-in-law, Anne, a niece Debbie who was like a daughter to her, two grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and a host of extended family, all of whom she loved dearly. In her retirement years, she enjoyed spending time with her family, eating lots of Chick-fil-A, and, of course, playing Bingo with her Bingo friends. On the Tuesday before her death, she bingoed not once… but twice. Frances Bearden died on March 24, 2024, at the age of 97, but the woes of “old age” did not hit until she was well into her 90’s. Her life was long, full, and happy, but in her last few months, she progressively lost her independence and spent her days in considerable pain. Though her family grieves her, they also rejoice in her eternal healing. For this reason, her family invites you to celebrate her life—but even more, to celebrate the life of no more tears, no more pain, no more aging, and an eternal life in the presence of Jesus Christ. The family will receive friends from 12 p.m. until the time of the service at Village Chapel.

Frances Virginia Bearden

August 11, 1926 - March 24, 2024