Mex L. Frates

Mex L. Frates, 98, died August 30, 2006. She was born January 15, 1908 in Moweaqua, Illinois. At the age of three, she moved to Oklahoma City with her parents, W. J. and Gertrude Rodman. Her life paralleled the history of the City and State through booms, busts, triumphs and tragedies. She attended McKinley Elementary School, Irving Junior High and Central High School, receiving the first Letseizer Award and graduating from Central in 1923, at the age of 15. After attending Pine Manor Junior College, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1929. At OU, she was active in Phi Beta Kappa, President of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, YWCA President, served on the Student Council and was listed in 'Who's Who in American Colleges'. In 1969, she was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in recognition of her humanitarian and community service. Twice she was selected as representative to the White House Conference on Children. Mex also served as State Chairman for Mobilization for Human Needs, a Regent of the Oklahoma College for Women (now University of Science and Arts), President of the Junior League of Oklahoma City, and Regional Director for the national board of the Associations of Junior Leagues. She was a member of the Episcopal Bishop and Council, State Conference Chairman of Oklahoma Episcopal Women, and Chairman of the Christian Social Relations Council of Episcopal Women. Along with her husband, Cliff, she was one of the founders of All Souls Episcopal Church and was Chairman of its Building Committee. During her lifetime of service, she served on many Boards of Philanthropic and Charitable organizations, including the Oklahoma Blood Institute, Allied Arts, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, Oklahoma Heritage Association, Oklahoma City Voluntary Action, Women's Committee of the Oklahoma City Symphony, the Oklahoma Art Center (now the Oklahoma City Museum of Art). She was the first President of the Town Hall Lecture series and was the first lay woman to become a trustee at Mercy Hospital, and also the first woman named as a Chairman of Mercy's Board of Advisors. She received recognition through many awards, including: Outstanding Phi Beta Kappa Alumni Award, National Conference of Christians and Jews Humanitarian Award, Byliners Award in Community Service from the Association of Women in Communications, Governor's Arts Award, Mary Baker Rumsey Award from the Junior League of Oklahoma City, Humanitarian Wall of Fame Award from the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, Association of Philanthropy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Dean's Award for Distinguished Community Service by Medical Alumni, and the Living Treasure Award from the Oklahoma Health Center Foundation. She was also named Outstanding Panhellenic Woman, Red Lands Girls Scouts Woman of the Year in Volunteerism, Pathfinder Award from the Oklahoma City Historical Society, Richard Clements Award from the United Way and Oklahoma City University's Library Award. Her biography, 'Lifetime Volunteer' was recently published by the Oklahoma Heritage Association and will be released on September 13, 2006. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Clifford L. Frates, and her stepson, Thomas S. Frates. She is survived by two sons, Rodman and his wife Joan, and Kent, of Oklahoma City. She is also survived by six grandchildren, Keith Frates and her partner Kirk Apt, Crested Butte, Colorado, Robin Corbett and her husband Jeff, Los Angeles; Clifford Frates and his wife Noli, Los Angeles; Kurt Frates, Oklahoma City; L. Lloys Frates, Los Angeles; and Duncan Cole Frates, Los Angeles. She is also survived by step-grandchildren, Linde di Gregorio and Darian Frates, Oklahoma City and four great-grandchildren, Lucas, Anna Lee and Eliza Corbett, and Lucinda Frates. Funeral services were conducted at All Souls Episcopal Church at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 2, 2006. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Oklahoma Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, All Souls Episcopal Church, or Casady School,