Frankee Horn Oleson's Obituary
Frankee Horn Oleson, 75, of Ames, died on July 12, 2024, at the Green Hills Health Care Center, after she lost her battle with leukemia. A Celebration of Life service will be held at the ISU Alumni Center, 429 Alumni Lane, Ames, Iowa on August 15 at 4:00 p.m. The family will receive friends and relatives two hours before the service. Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care in Ames is in charge of arrangements. Frankee was born on October 17, 1948, in Chanute, Kansas. She graduated from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in 1969 with a degree in music (flute), and later did graduate work at Iowa State University (ISU). She married her college sweetheart, Jim Oleson, on August 2, 1969, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She and Jim lived north of Chicago (when Jim was with the Fifth Army band) and north of New York City (when Jim played with the USMA band at Westpoint) and moved to Ames in 1975, where they lived for nearly five decades. Frankee was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, Sigma Alpha Iota professional women's music fraternity, and P.E.O. Chapter KC in Ames. Frankee's professional career began in teaching and ended in non-profit leadership. She taught music for ten years in Illinois, New York, and Iowa. She then joined the staff at Iowa State University's (ISU) Iowa State Center, and later worked in the ISU Alumni Association where her team substantially increased membership in alumni programs. She ended her career serving as President and CEO of the United Way of Story County from 2000 to 2010. The position was an excellent match for someone with Frankee's strong interests in philanthropy and community betterment. She spent her time identifying community concerns and issues, supporting educational initiatives, and consistently exceeding the targeted fund-raising goals for the annual LIVE UNITED campaigns. Frankee was a dedicated community servant and one of the founders of the Story County Alliance for Philanthropy, an effort that promotes and celebrates philanthropy each year. After retiring from her professional life in 2010, Frankee continued to work for community improvement through volunteer work with several organizations. These efforts included serving on the Mary Greeley Medical Center (MGMC) Foundation Board from 2012-2018 in the roles of Board chair and as a member of the Executive Committee. This service resulted in her receiving the MGMC Volunteer of the Year Award for leadership in 2019, where MGMC staff cited her great insight and advocacy as she helped to establish the Governance Committee, worked on strategic planning, supported donor relations, and much more. Frankee loved Broadway, and she and Jim attended many shows while living in New York and after retiring. Additionally, they enjoyed and supported the arts and cultural activities in Ames, Cedar Falls, and Des Moines, and they performed together for many years with their own band, the Oleson Duo. They were also ardent fans of ISU Cyclone and UNI Panther athletics. The only conflict came when the two teams played each other, which resulted in Frankee wearing the UNI colors while cheering for the Cyclones. Frankee devoted herself completely and passionately to everything she did, including showing up for her family and many friends during their life challenges and celebrating and honoring them in their triumphs. She will be deeply missed by the many persons whose lives she enriched. Frankee is survived by her husband, Jim; sister, Beth Pechacek (Frank) of Council Bluffs; sister-in-law, Lavon Grover (Richard) of Omaha; sister-in-law, Linda Oleson of Pleasant Hill; nieces and nephews; and beloved cats Sunny and Penny. She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Dorothy Horn, and niece Jill Pechacek. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Ames Animal Shelter, secure.usaepay.com/pay/4nkt6r3h4k6d6hn83/xNDAd0Gw or mail to Ames Animal Shelter, 515 Clark Ave., Ames, IA 50010. Greater Des Moines Community Foundation--directed to the Foundation for the Boone Area Humane Society. Address: 1915 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50309. Please indicate that your memorial is in honor of Frankee Oleson. Online condolences may be directed to www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com
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