By Alan Masters AIFD CFD
First among our Legacy members from the South Central Region, is our Queen of South Central, Mrs. Frankie Shelton AAF AIFD PFCI. To know Frankie was to understand her passion for and love of the floral industry. In our many meetings in person or visits on the phone, I was always regaled with stories of her years traveling, teaching, learning and designing with what was undoubtedly her favorite thing, aside from her beloved Jack and her children, and that was flowers. Until her death, Frankie loved to tell stories of her early days in AIFD and often reminded me that she was instrumental in creating the regions that we now serve in. She has shown me numerous times the notepad that Jack and she took down the names as reservations for attendees to the 1979 National Symposium, each time reading through the names with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face as she recalled sweet memories of each of those on the register. We laughed at the thought of having to do that by hand today, thankful for computers to make the registration process much more streamlined and simpler.
During her 38 years in floristry, Frankie has traveled extensively throughout the United States and Canada. Other floral engagements have taken her to South Africa, Mexico and England. For four years under three presidential administrations. Frankie was selected as a White House Decorator at Christmas. She was one of five designers to decorate the Vice-President George Bush’s home in 1985. In 1989 she was chairperson of a Presidential Inaugural design team in Washington, ever active in the floral industry, Frankie has served the prestigious American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) as a Board Member, as a trustee of the Scholarship Foundation, as a chairperson of the 1979 and 1985 National Symposiums. She is a Past-President of AIFD National and is a fellow of the institute with Life Membership.
Prominent among other honors received are Tommy Bright Award for Outstanding Floral Commentating, AIFD Distinguished Service to the Floral Industry Award, Florida State Florist Association-Hall of Fame Award, Tennessee State Florist Association-honorary Tennessean Award, A member of the AIFD Education terms Committee, which authored the Book of Floral Terminology, and the AIFD South Central Lifetime Achievement Award. I was reminded often that among all these amazing accomplishments and awards, her proudest moments and most treasured, were those of her children and her friends. Frankie stated often that awards fade and accomplishments can be forgotten but the love of family and that of friends will always be cherished. Known for phrases like “If you rest, you rust,” and “Put a bird on it and it will sell” she was and will always be “Frankie”. Rest In Peace sweet friend.
