Palestine High School Alumni Association

10 / 00 / 1919  –  03 / 03 / 2004

Frances Smith Friedman, educator and benefactor, passed away Wednesday in Tyler after a short illness.  She was a native of Palestine and spent much of her childhood in Houston before returning to Palestine.  After graduating from Palestine High School, she attended the University of Texas in Austin.

She married I.L. Friedman in 1943, and after living in Austin and San Antonio, they moved to Tyler in 1945. Mrs. Friedman taught art and astronomy at Tyler Junior College and was Director of Hudnall Planetarium for 24 years. Among her accomplishments was an award in 1986 from the Southwest Association of Planetariums for Outstanding Professional Service to the Planetarium Field.

She retired in 1987 and continued being active in education through her contributions to the Literacy Council of Tyler and to scholarship programs at Tyler Junior College. She also was a generous contributor to the new medical facility at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler.

Mrs. Friedman is survived by two daughters, Ann Brundige of Ogden, Utah and Ellen Friedman of San Diego, Calif., and by one granddaughter, Ellen Brundige of Irvine, Calif. She also is survived by her sister, Dolly Stallings of Matagorda, and by her brother Dale Smith of Palestine.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Wayne Smith of Palestine; and by her parents, Ethel Harding Smith and William Andrew Smith.

Chapel service will be held at Lloyd James Funeral Home in Tyler at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, conducted by the Rev. Bennie Bradddick of the First Christian Church.

Pallbearers will be Richard Barrett, James Hill, Kenneth Lewis, David Long, Dale Wayne Smith, and Danny A. Smith and Charles Allison.

Honorary Pallbearers are Dale Smith, Randall Childress, Kenneth Dance and Vernon Watts.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Literacy Council of Tyler and to the Bethesda Health Clinic are welcomed.