Frances Folsom Obituary

Folsom
FRANCES MARY FOLSOM
November 11, 1924 May 7, 2021
Frances Mary Folsom, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2021. She was born November 11, 1924 in Luverne, Minnesota, to Frank Ferdinand and Margaret Zeney Michael. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother John Michael and sister Helen Michael Stageberg. After graduating from Luverne High School in 1942 she attended St. Catherine's College in St. Paul and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in Home Economics, completing her studies with a degree through the Katherine Gibb's Secretarial School of Chicago. This led to the position of Secretary to the Executive Director of the Executive Club of Chicago. Fran went on to pursue her career at General Electric's Hotpoint Home Economics Institute. She became Director of the Department and the sole female department head in the Company. It was there she met her husband, Elwood Folsom. Within a year they were transferred to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he served as President of General Electric Argentina. After his retirement they returned to the United States and built a home in the Kissing Camels development in Colorado Springs designed by her brother-in-law James Stageberg.
After the death of her husband in 1975, Fran pursued a life devoted to her love of the arts. She owned an art gallery next to the Margarita Restaurant. She gave cooking classes at the Little Kitchen at the Broadmoor. She was Director of the Broadmoor Cooking School, which brought students from throughout the country to study with world-renowned Chefs. Fran wrote food and wine columns for the Colorado Springs Sun, and through her business 'Food and Wine Experience" lead visits to wineries and cooking schools through the western United States and Europe.
Her support of the Arts included serving on the Boards of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and Opera Theatre of the Rockies and as Chairman of the Opera Goes To School program.
Always interested in food, she served on the steering committee of Slow Food Colorado Springs. In 2011, the Fran Folsom Culinary Arts Scholarship program was established at the Pikes Peak Community College Culinary Arts program. This program resulted in numerous student scholarships for aspiring chefs. She worked closely with the planning and execution of the yearly Fran Folsom Culinary Arts Scholarship Dinner.
Fran combined her love of food and travel on numerous trips throughout the world. She frequently returned to her favorite destinations, France and Italy, bringing others with her to give them an opportunity to share this experience.
Fran is survived by five nieces and one nephew, Beth Stageberg Forbord (Larry), Frank Stageberg (Holly), Lucy Stageberg Gherity (Pat), Jane Stageberg Bade (Tim), Sally Stageberg Adams, and Anne Stageberg O'Keefe (Tom), along with their children Max, Sammi, Claudia, Simon, Jane, Joe, Abigail, Franklin, Clayton, Charlie, Michael and Matt. Fran was an engaged aunt and great-aunt, and was beloved by all.
In lieu of funeral services, and to honor Fran, memorials can be made to the Pikes Peak Community College Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund or the Opera Theatre of the Rockies.