Frances Frazier Jones

Frances Frazier Jones, 95, passed away on August 14, 2026, at her home in Signal Mountain, Tennessee. She was preceded in death by her parents, Brigadier General and Mrs. Thomas Alexander Frazier, and by her husband, Thomas Hobson Jones. She is survived by her daughter Leslie Jones Dulin (Leo) and her son Thomas Hobson Jones, Jr.

Frances was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1931. She was an avid reader as a child and spent considerable time in the adjacent Carnegie Public Library immersed in books and she toured the world using the library's stereoscopic collection. She also helped in the family flower business, Dolan Gardens, located on their home's property. To escape the heat and diseases of Mississippi summers, her family would travel to her grandmother's bucolic and rugged Waynesville, North Carolina, property where they grew and canned fruits and vegetables to be sent back by train, which ran between Waynesville and Clarksdale. In high school, she was a boarding student at St. Genevieve-of-the-Pines, a school located in Asheville, North Carolina, and run by French nuns with drill-sergeant demeanors. After acquiring a master's degree in Latin and Greek (now called Classical Studies) from the University of Mississippi, she returned to Chattanooga where her family had relocated when she was a teenager.

She married in 1954 and, after living in a small duplex in Signal Mountain, she and her husband, Tom, purchased a brow lot in 1956 that was originally intended to be an apartment complex. When Frances discovered the work of Frank Lloyd Wright from perusing House Beautiful magazines, she knew she wanted to build a house that incorporated characteristics of his designs. Following the completion of the low-slung, crab orchard stone and wood-sided house in 1957, and having limited woodworking equipment, she began building furniture for the house while also building a rock garden behind it.

Although the Clarksdale flower shop-along with her mother's and grandmother's influence-was the true beginning of her lifelong fascination with plants, her original rock garden marked the inauguration of transforming this passion into reality. She developed masonry skills by building both mortared- and stacked-stone rock walls, along with rock steps and walkways, with no assistance. Later, after she acquired various woodworking machinery, visitors unacquainted with her basement workshop couldn't believe the setup wasn't Tom's; however, Tom never touched her woodworking tools.

In the 1960s, Frances became a world-class potter, having studied with Charles Counts, who trained under Bauhaus ceramic artist and strict disciplinarian, Marguerite Wildenhain. For years Frances toured the region, exhibiting at juried crafts fairs and festivals. She was a founding member of the organization now known as Tennessee Craft, a member of Piedmont Craftsmen and a member of the organizations now known as American Craft Council and World Crafts Council International. She was also a longtime member of The Next Door Gallery, Hunter Museum's former gallery for local artists, located next to the museum. Eventually she switched from using a manual, pottery kick-wheel to an electric one. Later, after dealing with arthritis issues in her hands, she transitioned to woodworking, channeling the philosophy of Isamu Noguchi by creating unique biomorphic boxes, trays and furniture. She frequently combined multiple disciplines, using ceramics, wood, and sometimes woven work to produce various original compositions. For their "Toys Designed by Artists" exhibition, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts chose one of Frances' wooden pieces to be added to their permanent collection.

In the early 1970s she was simultaneously working for her husband, who had just started a small manufacturing business, raising children, and creating artwork. She continued these activities until Tom was tragically killed by a drunk driver in 1984. Frances took over running the paperboard-products manufacturing company and slowly expanded her woodland garden as time permitted. After selling the company in 1997, she expanded her garden into a multi-acre enterprise, including native plants such as rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, viburnums and many rare and unusual plants. She used the sign from the old family flower shop at the entrance, naming the garden Dolan Gardens. She designed the entire landscape.

Frances was a founding member of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society (ARS) and received the ARS Bronze medal for her service. The Azalea Society of America named an azalea after her. She welcomed members of many organizations to tour her garden, including the ARS, the Azalea Society, the American Conifer Society, and the Maple Society of North America. Groups of artists came to paint in the garden and local garden clubs wandered over the acreage. The Hamilton County Master Gardeners included Dolan Gardens in their garden tour many times. Frances became known for joyfully sharing her extensive knowledge of plants with those who asked questions.

With her own two hands and using her remarkable array of skills, she helped people in ways that most will never know. Few women from her era were as independent-thinking, intelligent, creative and tenacious as Frances was. If someone told her something couldn't be done, she would prove them wrong. She worked hard every day and then would often read almost an entire book in the evenings. She listened to all types of music, from Frank Sinatra to Pink Floyd. This modern, tall and strong woman lived a life defined by hard work, responsibility, and dependability. Throughout her journey, she steadfastly challenged traditions and proved that a woman's potential is limitless. She was a rugged individualist, a leader, and an American original.

Frances Jones will have a private burial and, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The American Chestnut Foundation (tacf.org), The American Rhododendron Society (rhododendron.org - Endowment Fund), or the charity of your choice.