Frances L. (Zabloudil) McClure, longtime Abilene Realtor, mother, philanthropist, and nationally recognized Realtor passed away quietly in her home September 28, 2016 after an extended illness. She is survived by her two children, Julie McClure Hagin of Abilene, Texas and Charles Arthur (Mac) McClure of Dallas, Texas; a son-in-law, C. Terry Hagin of Abilene; a daughter-in- law, Susan Barbee McClure of Dallas; three grandchildren, Amanda Hagin Doege of Austin, C. Chase Hagin of Dallas, and John W. McClure of Dallas; four great-grandchildren, Lila Elizabeth McClure, Luke William McClure, Samuel Andrew McClure all of Dallas and Avery Elizabeth Doege of Austin, Texas; a nephew, Jake Alan Zabloudil of Abilene; and a niece Ann Berryman of Southlake, Texas.
Frances McClure and her twin brother Jake Zabloudil, Jr. were born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 10, 1921 to Jake Zabloudil and Lera Daniels Zabloudil. The Zabloudil family moved to Abilene shortly thereafter and the family settled in the family homestead at 802 Orange. Frances McClure attended Lamar School at North 8th and Hickory and went through the Abilene School system and then left for Fairmont Junior College, a girls finishing school in Washington, DC. Frances returned to Abilene and Hardin Simmons University where she reunited with her childhood friend Billie Sears and they rode two of the famous six white horses with Sheriff Will Watson. Frances met her husband and lifelong partner at Hardin Simmons and the couple were married on November 22, 1941. Shortly thereafter with the bombing of Pearl Harbor the couple like most of the era were separated by war with Charles spending his service time with the 11th Air Force in the Aleutian Islands and Frances working at Ray Crowell Jewelry in downtown Abilene all through the war. With the surrender, Charles returned to Abilene and the McClure family built their first home in a brand new subdivision called Elmwood West where many of the returning GI families including the Bridwell's, Sibley's, King's, Greathouse's, and many others built their homes. Frances was very active in the raising of her two children where she had the Cub Scout Troop with her son, Tucker Bridwell and others meeting in her garage. She was also very active on the Parent Teacher's Association of Bonham Elementary which was a brand new school. Every Halloween she and her husband would have the famous Witch of Lexington hot cider and all of the children of Elmwood West would come by and get candy and cider from the Witch's brew at 634 Lexington.
When her children graduated from Abilene High School, Frances entered the real estate business in 1966 with a well-known development company Cathy Hines, where she became the sales manager very quickly. She started her own company Frances McClure Realtors in 1971 and operated the business out of her home at 1210 Albany until she hired her first agents. She built her office at 3157 South 27th in 1972 and the rest is history. Mrs. McClure had a drive that propelled her to the top of the real estate market in Abilene and carried over with her involvement with real estate in the United States. Frances was one of the co-founders of the Women's Council of Realtors and served as its President. She believed that women had a place in business and with her friends Ebby Halliday, Bessie Lyn Evans, Rosanna Sumner, and others, forged the pathway in women in business in the State of Texas. Mrs. McClure served numerous times on the Board of Texas Association of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors, and was honored as the first female in Texas to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Realtors. In addition, Mrs. McClure was very active locally also serving on the Board of Ben Richey's Boys Ranch. The Woman's Club, and Chairman of the Abilene Preservation League. She and Charles were active members of First Baptist Church, members of the Century Club and the President's Club of Hardin-Simmons University. She was a philanthropist that gave her time, energy and resources to assist others.
Frances McClure was a legend in real estate and in life. She will be remembered as a passionate woman that forged the path for many women in business in our community and our nation. In the fall of 2015 Abilene Living Magazine there is a picture of Frances sitting on her horse Sheriff Will Watson on one side and beside Billie Sears on the other. Her family and our city will miss her.
Frances McClure and her twin brother Jake Zabloudil, Jr. were born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 10, 1921 to Jake Zabloudil and Lera Daniels Zabloudil. The Zabloudil family moved to Abilene shortly thereafter and the family settled in the family homestead at 802 Orange. Frances McClure attended Lamar School at North 8th and Hickory and went through the Abilene School system and then left for Fairmont Junior College, a girls finishing school in Washington, DC. Frances returned to Abilene and Hardin Simmons University where she reunited with her childhood friend Billie Sears and they rode two of the famous six white horses with Sheriff Will Watson. Frances met her husband and lifelong partner at Hardin Simmons and the couple were married on November 22, 1941. Shortly thereafter with the bombing of Pearl Harbor the couple like most of the era were separated by war with Charles spending his service time with the 11th Air Force in the Aleutian Islands and Frances working at Ray Crowell Jewelry in downtown Abilene all through the war. With the surrender, Charles returned to Abilene and the McClure family built their first home in a brand new subdivision called Elmwood West where many of the returning GI families including the Bridwell's, Sibley's, King's, Greathouse's, and many others built their homes. Frances was very active in the raising of her two children where she had the Cub Scout Troop with her son, Tucker Bridwell and others meeting in her garage. She was also very active on the Parent Teacher's Association of Bonham Elementary which was a brand new school. Every Halloween she and her husband would have the famous Witch of Lexington hot cider and all of the children of Elmwood West would come by and get candy and cider from the Witch's brew at 634 Lexington.
When her children graduated from Abilene High School, Frances entered the real estate business in 1966 with a well-known development company Cathy Hines, where she became the sales manager very quickly. She started her own company Frances McClure Realtors in 1971 and operated the business out of her home at 1210 Albany until she hired her first agents. She built her office at 3157 South 27th in 1972 and the rest is history. Mrs. McClure had a drive that propelled her to the top of the real estate market in Abilene and carried over with her involvement with real estate in the United States. Frances was one of the co-founders of the Women's Council of Realtors and served as its President. She believed that women had a place in business and with her friends Ebby Halliday, Bessie Lyn Evans, Rosanna Sumner, and others, forged the pathway in women in business in the State of Texas. Mrs. McClure served numerous times on the Board of Texas Association of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors, and was honored as the first female in Texas to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Realtors. In addition, Mrs. McClure was very active locally also serving on the Board of Ben Richey's Boys Ranch. The Woman's Club, and Chairman of the Abilene Preservation League. She and Charles were active members of First Baptist Church, members of the Century Club and the President's Club of Hardin-Simmons University. She was a philanthropist that gave her time, energy and resources to assist others.
Frances McClure was a legend in real estate and in life. She will be remembered as a passionate woman that forged the path for many women in business in our community and our nation. In the fall of 2015 Abilene Living Magazine there is a picture of Frances sitting on her horse Sheriff Will Watson on one side and beside Billie Sears on the other. Her family and our city will miss her.
Frances L. (Zabloudil) McClure, longtime Abilene Realtor, mother, philanthropist, and nationally recognized Realtor passed away quietly in her home September 28, 2016 after an extended illness. She is survived by her two children, Julie McClure Hagin of Abilene, Texas and Charles Arthur (Mac) McClure of Dallas, Texas; a son-in-law, C. Terry Hagin of Abilene; a daughter-in- law, Susan Barbee McClure of Dallas; three grandchildren, Amanda Hagin Doege of Austin, C. Chase Hagin of Dallas, and John W. McClure of Dallas; four great-grandchildren, Lila Elizabeth McClure, Luke William McClure, Samuel Andrew McClure all of Dallas and Avery Elizabeth Doege of Austin, Texas; a nephew, Jake Alan Zabloudil of Abilene; and a niece Ann Berryman of Southlake, Texas.
Frances McClure and her twin brother Jake Zabloudil, Jr. were born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 10, 1921 to Jake Zabloudil and Lera Daniels Zabloudil. The Zabloudil family moved to Abilene shortly thereafter and the family settled in the family homestead at 802 Orange. Frances McClure attended Lamar School at North 8th and Hickory and went through the Abilene School system and then left for Fairmont Junior College, a girls finishing school in Washington, DC. Frances returned to Abilene and Hardin Simmons University where she reunited with her childhood friend Billie Sears and they rode two of the famous six white horses with Sheriff Will Watson. Frances met her husband and lifelong partner at Hardin Simmons and the couple were married on November 22, 1941. Shortly thereafter with the bombing of Pearl Harbor the couple like most of the era were separated by war with Charles spending his service time with the 11th Air Force in the Aleutian Islands and Frances working at Ray Crowell Jewelry in downtown Abilene all through the war. With the surrender, Charles returned to Abilene and the McClure family built their first home in a brand new subdivision called Elmwood West where many of the returning GI families including the Bridwell's, Sibley's, King's, Greathouse's, and many others built their homes. Frances was very active in the raising of her two children where she had the Cub Scout Troop with her son, Tucker Bridwell and others meeting in her garage. She was also very active on the Parent Teacher's Association of Bonham Elementary which was a brand new school. Every Halloween she and her husband would have the famous Witch of Lexington hot cider and all of the children of Elmwood West would come by and get candy and cider from the Witch's brew at 634 Lexington.
When her children graduated from Abilene High School, Frances entered the real estate business in 1966 with a well-known development company Cathy Hines, where she became the sales manager very quickly. She started her own company Frances McClure Realtors in 1971 and operated the business out of her home at 1210 Albany until she hired her first agents. She built her office at 3157 South 27th in 1972 and the rest is history. Mrs. McClure had a drive that propelled her to the top of the real estate market in Abilene and carried over with her involvement with real estate in the United States. Frances was one of the co-founders of the Women's Council of Realtors and served as its President. She believed that women had a place in business and with her friends Ebby Halliday, Bessie Lyn Evans, Rosanna Sumner, and others, forged the pathway in women in business in the State of Texas. Mrs. McClure served numerous times on the Board of Texas Association of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors, and was honored as the first female in Texas to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Realtors. In addition, Mrs. McClure was very active locally also serving on the Board of Ben Richey's Boys Ranch. The Woman's Club, and Chairman of the Abilene Preservation League. She and Charles were active members of First Baptist Church, members of the Century Club and the President's Club of Hardin-Simmons University. She was a philanthropist that gave her time, energy and resources to assist others.
Frances McClure was a legend in real estate and in life. She will be remembered as a passionate woman that forged the path for many women in business in our community and our nation. In the fall of 2015 Abilene Living Magazine there is a picture of Frances sitting on her horse Sheriff Will Watson on one side and beside Billie Sears on the other. Her family and our city will miss her.
Frances McClure and her twin brother Jake Zabloudil, Jr. were born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 10, 1921 to Jake Zabloudil and Lera Daniels Zabloudil. The Zabloudil family moved to Abilene shortly thereafter and the family settled in the family homestead at 802 Orange. Frances McClure attended Lamar School at North 8th and Hickory and went through the Abilene School system and then left for Fairmont Junior College, a girls finishing school in Washington, DC. Frances returned to Abilene and Hardin Simmons University where she reunited with her childhood friend Billie Sears and they rode two of the famous six white horses with Sheriff Will Watson. Frances met her husband and lifelong partner at Hardin Simmons and the couple were married on November 22, 1941. Shortly thereafter with the bombing of Pearl Harbor the couple like most of the era were separated by war with Charles spending his service time with the 11th Air Force in the Aleutian Islands and Frances working at Ray Crowell Jewelry in downtown Abilene all through the war. With the surrender, Charles returned to Abilene and the McClure family built their first home in a brand new subdivision called Elmwood West where many of the returning GI families including the Bridwell's, Sibley's, King's, Greathouse's, and many others built their homes. Frances was very active in the raising of her two children where she had the Cub Scout Troop with her son, Tucker Bridwell and others meeting in her garage. She was also very active on the Parent Teacher's Association of Bonham Elementary which was a brand new school. Every Halloween she and her husband would have the famous Witch of Lexington hot cider and all of the children of Elmwood West would come by and get candy and cider from the Witch's brew at 634 Lexington.
When her children graduated from Abilene High School, Frances entered the real estate business in 1966 with a well-known development company Cathy Hines, where she became the sales manager very quickly. She started her own company Frances McClure Realtors in 1971 and operated the business out of her home at 1210 Albany until she hired her first agents. She built her office at 3157 South 27th in 1972 and the rest is history. Mrs. McClure had a drive that propelled her to the top of the real estate market in Abilene and carried over with her involvement with real estate in the United States. Frances was one of the co-founders of the Women's Council of Realtors and served as its President. She believed that women had a place in business and with her friends Ebby Halliday, Bessie Lyn Evans, Rosanna Sumner, and others, forged the pathway in women in business in the State of Texas. Mrs. McClure served numerous times on the Board of Texas Association of Realtors, the National Association of Realtors, and was honored as the first female in Texas to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Realtors. In addition, Mrs. McClure was very active locally also serving on the Board of Ben Richey's Boys Ranch. The Woman's Club, and Chairman of the Abilene Preservation League. She and Charles were active members of First Baptist Church, members of the Century Club and the President's Club of Hardin-Simmons University. She was a philanthropist that gave her time, energy and resources to assist others.
Frances McClure was a legend in real estate and in life. She will be remembered as a passionate woman that forged the path for many women in business in our community and our nation. In the fall of 2015 Abilene Living Magazine there is a picture of Frances sitting on her horse Sheriff Will Watson on one side and beside Billie Sears on the other. Her family and our city will miss her.
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
