BASCOM, FRANCES R. "FRAN"
May 24, 1914 —
April 14, 2005
https://www.cu.edu/sg/messages/4359.html
April 21, 2005
Professor Emerita Frances R. "Fran" Bascom of kinesiology at CU-Boulder died of
Alzheimer's disease on April 14 at her son's home in Lafayette. She was 90.
Dr. Bascom was born on May 24, 1914, in the University of Colorado hospital (now
Temporary Building No. 1) in Boulder. She was the daughter of Arthur Ridgeway
and Leora Powelson Ridgeway. She married Herman Bascom on Sept. 2, 1937, in
Boulder. They divorced.
She attended public schools in Boulder and received a bachelor of science degree
from the University of Colorado in 1934. She also received a physical therapy
certificate from The Children's Hospital in Denver in 1934. In 1941 she earned a
master's degree from the University of Oregon, and a Ph.D. from the same
institution in 1956. She also received certification in kinesio-therapy.
While an undergraduate in college, she started teaching swimming classes for
children and assisted in the college summer school classes. She also taught some
adult square-dance classes and called square dances for adult groups.
She was a physical therapist at The Children's Hospital, a teacher at Longmont High School
and a professor of physical therapy at CU. She retired from the CU department of
kinesiology in 1976, after 32 years on the faculty. At CU she specialized in
therapeutic exercise, kinesiology and child growth and supervised student
teachers.
Within a couple of years of retirement, she was volunteering at the Whittier
Elementary School library. She also became a charter member of the Board of the
Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools, with which she was very involved. She was
later named president emerita of the Foundation board.
In 1990, Dr. Bascom received the Agate Award for Leadership in Education from
the University of Oregon, and in 1994 she was honored for Lifetime Devotion to
Education and for her support of the BVSD Foundation program of mini-grants. In
1995 she was honored for support and sponsorship of the Excellence in Education
Awards Program by Delta Kappa Gamma. She belonged to the Zonta Club, Delta Kappa
Gamma and CU Retired Faculty Association. She also was a member of the Boulder
Charter Chapter of the American Business Women's Association from 1975 through
1978.
She is survived by a son, Phil Bascom of Lafayette, two grandchildren, and three
great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two grandsons.
A memorial service was held yesterday at Howe Mortuary in Lafayette. Interment
will be at 10:30 a.m. today at Green Mountain Cemetery in Boulder.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools
or to Jehovah's Witnesses Worldwide Educational Work.
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