Frances Walker McCampbell, 86, met her dear Savior face-to-face on Sunday morning, Oct. 11, 2026. Born in Forrest City, Arkansas, on May 25, 1940, she was the daughter of William Clement Walker and Lois Ellis Walker.
Frances lived most of her adult life in Memphis, Tennessee, but moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 2024 to live near her daughter. This move fulfilled her longtime dream of living in the mountains of East Tennessee, a favorite family vacation destination during her childhood.
The daughter of a cotton grower, Frances cherished many childhood memories of summer picnics on the farm, laughing with her father, and playing with her siblings and the large group of Walker cousins. Some of her other most cherished memories involved time spent with her beloved childhood caregiver and spiritual mother, Josephine Slater, who taught her about the “red words” of the Bible and their life-giving Author.
As a teenager, Frances trained to be a concert pianist, but her true passion lay in understanding how things worked—especially car engines. As the only girl in her high school’s car club, she was famous for executing flawless “bootleggers’ turns,” spinning a vehicle packed with teenagers a full 180 degrees. Her mother only realized years later why she kept having to buy new tires for the family’s Model A Ford, though the hot rod magazines arriving in the mail provided a hint. Frances was also skilled in sewing and dancing. Many local boys showed up in the living room of the big white house on Division Street, awaiting their turns for a jitterbug lesson.
As a young woman living in Memphis, Frances earned a B.A. and two M.A.s in early childhood education at Memphis State University. She married in 1968 and had her daughter, Mary, in 1972. An ambitious young graduate, Frances went on to establish her own small preschool. She eventually became an elementary school teacher at Germantown Elementary School, where she taught until her retirement.
A lifelong educator, Frances realized early on that her main calling was to teach children about Jesus. A very popular school and VBS teacher, she taught children about the love of God in many creative ways—through puppetry, storytelling, and writing children’s stories and curriculum. At Second Presbyterian Church, she was the voice of Trooper the library squirrel, and at B’rit Hadasha Messianic Jewish Synagogue, she was a beloved teacher and coordinator of the Shabbat School program. Frances was initially drawn to B’rit Hadasha to learn Hebrew, and there she found a community of believers who took the study of Scripture very seriously, highlighting its cultural context and the intrinsic connections between the Old and New Testaments. While at B’rit, she wrote and published several children’s curriculum books for Messianic Shabbat schools, which were used at Messianic synagogues across the country.
In the days leading up to her unexpected passing, Frances was actively working on her children’s stories and creating educational curriculum. Along with her love of teaching about the gospel, she had a wide variety of gifts and skills, including website building, interior design, sewing and knitting, and educating everyone within earshot about the wonders of Harley-Davidson engines.
Always eager to learn new things, her most recent areas of interest included the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, farriery, the fashion of 10-year-old Max Alexander, and all the things to be learned from the BBC’s The Repair Shop.
Frances loved learning about other people and showing them kindness, modeling empathy and compassion for her students and her daughter. She strove to see God’s image in all people. Many of her friends and former students have commented that she helped them see something special in themselves, encouraging them and reminding them how much God loves them. A woman with many eclectic interests and talents, her greatest interest and deepest love were in knowing her Savior, Jesus Christ, and showing His love to others.
Frances was preceded in death by her parents, William Clement and Lois Walker; and her siblings, William Clement Walker Jr. and James Henry Kelley Jr.
She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Mary Walker McCampbell; her sister, Dr. Anne Strand; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. The family would also like to thank her two beloved caregivers and friends, Debra White and Candice Dean-Ross.
A graveside service will take place at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at Forrest Park Cemetery in Forrest City, Arkansas.
Stevens Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. You may visit stevensfuneralhome.net to sign the online registry.
