Frances Meltzer

1937 - 2026

Frances Woolard Meltzer, 88, of South Miami, passed away January 8, 2026. She was born in Newark, Ohio, on January 30, 1937. She and her older sister were raised by their mother, Ann Stolze Woolard, who immigrated to the United States as a young woman from Hanover, Germany, during World War II.

A graduate of the University of Miami with a refined appreciation for fashion, design, and the arts, she was an avid reader, musician, and athlete. She loved gardening, long walks, and a dry, shaken martini with olives.

She began her career as a model in New York City, later teaching young women at Bauder Fashion College the fundamentals of fashion design, garment construction, and professional runway presentation. Her two children were not spared these lessons, learning to walk with their "head on a string and chin on a shelf." She designed clothing and stylish uniforms for flight attendants and was a creative leader at Caprice Fashion, where she hosted quarterly fashion shows for elite members of Miami's fashion scene.

An accomplished cyclist and a member of the Everglades Bicycle Club, she was often the only woman on grueling century rides to Flamingo, Mount Dora, and the Florida Keys; she once traversed the entire state of Florida on a single ride.

An unconventional single mother, she encouraged independence, grit, and a love of the outdoors. She took her two young children on many exciting adventures in the Everglades and along the Florida coast-camping, boating, and fishing, including a canoe trip from Flamingo to Camp Sable, where they were rescued by fishermen after a night on a remote, mosquito-infested beach. She insisted on giving her children and grandchildren tremendous freedom at a young age to build confidence and self-sufficiency.

A classically trained pianist, she played Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Bach for family and friends on her prized Steinway & Sons baby grand piano. She was a passionate supporter of the arts and served as president of the Coral Gables Music Club, hosting quarterly classical performances for the community. She also served as president of the South Miami Homeowners Association.

She was elegant and soft-spoken-a woman of few words with a low tolerance for thoughtless conversation or idle banter. A stoic second-generation German, she never complained or explained. Family and friends learned to listen carefully when she spoke, as she rarely repeated herself.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Ann Stolze Woolard, and her sister, Joan Woolard Widrig. She is survived by her two adult children, Elizabeth Boulenger (Bo Boulenger) and John Meltzer (Cristina Parsons); her former son-in-law, Brian Latta; and her grandchildren, Morgan and Drew Latta, and Nicole and Allen Boulenger. Donations may be made in her honor to Friends of the Everglades or Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.