(January 11, 1938 – September 30, 2015)
Joniece Frank of Sapulpa passed from this life on Wed. September 30, 2015 at Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa. Joniece was born on January 11, 1938 in Norman, OK to John N. Frank and Grace Lee Bowman Frank. Joniece was the youngest of two daughters and grew up working alongside her parents in their family business, Frankoma Pottery.
Joniece graduated from Hockaday College Preparatory School in Dallas Texas and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma. Joniece took over as President & CEO of Frankoma Pottery after her father’s passing in November of 1973. Joniece was an artist and designer for the famed pottery earning Oklahoma Business Top Woman Executive honor in 1977. Sometime after the sale of the pottery in 1991, she and her sister Donna went on to create new designs for Frank X 2 in their own studio at their home in Sapulpa that was once the studio for their parents.
The two sisters were instrumental in starting the Frankoma Collectors Club in 1995 which had members in 45 states. The club has reorganized and is still active today with yearly conventions held in Sapulpa. Joniece was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Sapulpa.
Joniece will be entombed at Green Hill Mausoleum in Sapulpa beside her parents.
Memorial services to be decided at a later date.
We are but clay in the hands of the Potter Clay formed from dust by our Heavenly Father. Each one He makes is from a new mold None ever duplicated and none ever sold. May the Potter make this miry day anew, bidding my old self ad due less of me, more of Him To rise above this earthly din.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Smith Funeral Home, 1208 S Main St, Sapulpa, OK.
Thank you, Kenneth, for sharing this with us. WISH I’d had the
opportunity to meet Joniece! Each piece of pottery with her name on it
will now have even more meaning, since I know there will never be any
“new” ones coming along…
Excellent article. I did share it to my Facebook wall.
Thanks for sharing your information. She did some wonderful pottery and I wish I had been able to meet her. I hope her papers will be saved and that her wealth of knowledge about Frankoma and Frankx2 can be shared with the world. Please let me know how I can help make all the knowledge of this wonderful lady available to the public.
Thanks for your comment. Joniece was taken to the hospital Sept. 25, the first day of our Frankoma Collectors Association meeting in Sapulpa; we’re thankful that her sister Donna was able to be with us for a while on Sept. 26. Joniece will be greatly missed at our get-togethers.
Thanks for your comment and thanks for sharing Joniece Frank’s obituary. She will be greatly missed by those of us who love and collect all things Frankoma.
I first met Joniece in the early 1990s. I had contacted her because I was writing an article for an antiques/collectors magazine about Frankoma. She invited me to meet her at the factory and gave me the grand tour. Then she said “Come on. I’m taking you home to meet mama.” How many people do you know that would invite a complete stranger into their home? That was the beginning of a long friendship. Joniece was one of the most loving and kind people I have ever had the privilege of calling my friend. She has left a legacy of love, caring, and artistry that we should all strive to duplicate.
Thanks, Kenneth, for your comment. I, too, share your concern for the preservation of this information. And as for making “all the knowledge of this wonderful lady available to the public,” you already have started the ball rolling!
Thanks for a beautiful tribute to a lovely lady!
I wish we had a Facebook page or a place here to ask questions and pick each others brains. I have several Teenagers in the Bible done in White Sand which Joniece said her dad did to raise funds for youth groups. But I can not find any information on how rare these plates are to find.
Also does anyone know if anyone is working on saving and getting published all the records that Joniece kept about Frankoma and about Frankx2? What is the status of the house and how can we help Donna.
Thanks for any information.
Thanks for your comment. Regarding a Facebook page for Frankoma discussions, I would recommend you check out a Facebook Group named Frankoma Pottery Fans. It has over 1500 members and active, lively discussion every day.
I’ll need to get back to you on the 2nd part of your comment.
Thanks again, Ken
Great discussion going on right now on Facebook group page, Frankoma Pottery Fans. Collectors are making a list of all the different FrankX2 pieces produced by Joniece and Donna Frank over the years. Bennie Biery is asking collectors to send pictures, also, for possible publication.