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By Lurma Rackley
Talk to her family, and here's what you'll find out about Eldoris Frazeur: She loved to bake and entertain. She once lived on a farm and taught in a "country school" in Minnesota. She adopted two of her students when their parents died. She lived in several cities with her devoted husband, a colonel in the U.S. Air Force. She was a devout Lutheran, and she played piano and sang in the church choir. She adored cats and dogs.
But only her best friend, Phyllis Dickens, knew of Eldoris Frazeur's extremely high regard for the work of Habitat for Humanity. Mrs. Dickens was not surprised that Mrs. Frazeur bequeathed $250,000 to Habitat when she died at age 90 in December 2007 at the Weatherly Inn Home in Tacoma, Wash.
"I was so pleased when she told me she'd put that in her will," said Mrs. Dickens, who shared a close friendship with Mrs. Frazeur for 50 years, starting when they were both wives of Air Force officers.
At home in many places Born in Canby, Minnesota, in March 1917, Mrs. Frazeur lived much of her early life on her parents' farm. She and her husband, Col. John S. Frazeur, also lived there when he came back from a stint in the service and before he decided to re-enlist until retirement.
"I met Eldoris in 1957, when I was a young newly-wed bride of a second lieutenant," said Mrs. Dickens. "Her husband was my husband's first aircraft commander.
"One of the things I loved about her was that nobody was above or below her. She took me under her wing, basically, and we were inseparable after that." The couples moved to various bases, ending up in the state of Washington, where Mrs. Frazeur lived out the last three decades of her life.
Col. Frazeur died in 2000, after a successful retirement career in real estate. He and his wife lived in a lovely home overlooking Commencement Bay, in Tacoma.
A heart for children "I think my parents might have talked about Habitat being a good organization," said Wendell "Wynn" Frazeur, who at age 11 came with his 10-year-old sister, Marilyn, to live with the Frazeurs after their parents died. "I know she donated to her church and to other organizations. I did not know about Habitat, but I do recall hearing her say she believed all children should have a good house, a good home. My wife says she remembers Eldoris saying Habitat is a worthy cause," he said.
What Wynn Frazeur does know is that Mrs. Frazeur cared about children. She'd lost a baby in childbirth, but she kept the hurt to herself.
"She was a no-nonsense person, very frugal, and she held to her values," said Mr. Frazeur. "When I was young, I had a paper route. When I finished that paper route on Sunday, I had to get my shirt and tie and coat on and go to church, regardless. There was a lot of instilling values."
Jan MacConnell, Mrs. Frazeur's niece, remembers her aunt as humorous, very nurturing, and playful. "People would say to me, ‘You're just like your aunt,' because we both liked to cook and eat. We'd be talking about our next meal while we're eating," Mrs. MacConnell recalled.
She said her aunt's gift to Habitat most probably was "especially for the children's sake. She felt children needed to have a roof over their heads."
Phyllis Dickens agreed that Mrs. Frazeur cared for children. "She was wonderful with kids," she said. "Neighbors loved her; she was just loved by everybody. She was one of the greatest influences on my life."
Through Mrs. Frazeur's generous legacy gift, countless families who otherwise would not have been so blessed now will be able to share meals in the kitchens of their own homes. Children will have places to study and to grow strong and healthy, thanks to Eldoris Frazeur's thoughtfulness. Their success will be a moving testament to her enduring legacy for generations to come.
Lurma Rackley is development communications manager at Habitat for Humanity International.
Copyright © Habitat for Humanity International, All rights reserved.
The information in this Web site is not intended as legal advice. For legal advice, please consult an attorney. Figures cited in examples are for hypothetical purposes only and are subject to change. References to income tax apply to federal taxes only. Federal estate tax, state income/estate taxes or state law may impact your results.
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