Frances Bertagnolli

Frances Marie Bernard Bertagnolli was born the morning of May 29, 1943 in Carlsbad, New Mexico. She passed on the evening of November 14, 2018 in San Antonio, TX after a beautiful life. She was a strong, kind and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. She was dedicated to her family and community. She was a fabulous sister who, as her sister said, ‘got all the musical genes.' She loved the arts and played the piano, guitar, ukulele, dulcimer and other instruments with her friends in various musical groups. \r\n \r\nAfter graduation from Carlsbad High School she attended Texas Woman's University where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She worked at Parkland Hospital in Dallas upon graduation. She was then the director of nursing for a small hospital in Mesquite, Texas for several years before moving to Denver, Colorado where she worked in public health nursing. She met her husband, Frank, who lived in Laramie, Wyoming and moved there before they were married in 1969. While living in Laramie, she continued her work in public health and became a nursing instructor at the University of Wyoming. In 1975, when her parents decided they wanted to retire from the family grocery stores they owned in Carlsbad, the new couple decided to buy the business and move back home. She was the acting director of the nursing program at New Mexico State University at Carlsbad for a year after the couple's return. She then decided to stay home and be a full-time mom to their two children and helped Frank in the grocery stores as needed. She was a Girl Scout leader and enjoyed spending time with the scouts camping and doing arts and crafts. She loved to watch her children as they competed in sports and never missed a game or tournament.\r\n\r\nIn 1997, after their children had graduated from college, she and Frank retired and bought a motor home. She enjoyed traveling and together they traversed the United States and Canada for fifteen years collecting new friends and memories. In 2008 they moved to Kerrville where they enjoyed a new community. She loved to visit with friends, volunteer, play music, and attend the theater. She played in a weekly ukulele group and was the music director at the VA Catholic Chapel.\r\n \r\nShe is survived by her husband, Frank Quirino Bertagnolli, her sister Marjory Wells and her husband Randall, her two children, Mark Bertagnolli of Denver, Colorado, and Marla Beth Keenan and her husband Taylor James Keenan and their daughter, Logan Tehya Keenan, all of Austin, Texas, her aunts Rosemary Mitchell of Carlsbad, NM and Ada Profaizer of Cheyenne, Wyoming and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, and of course her beloved and spoiled toy terrier mix Chico. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sidney and Laverne Bernard. \r\n \r\nRosary will be held at 6 PM, Monday, November 19, 2018 at Grimes Funeral Chapels officiated by Deacon Sonny Kaufhold.\r\n \r\nMass will be at 10 AM, Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at Notre Dame Catholic Church with Father David Wagner as celebrant.\r\n \r\nIn lieu of flowers please consider a donation in her honor to Hill Country Youth Ranch. \r\nYouth-ranch.org/.\r\n