Remembering Frank Woodard, Sr.

By Tom McGehee
Museum Home Director

When Frank Woodard, Sr. died in 1960 he was the oldest employee of Bellingrath Gardens & Home. In fact his personnel file states he had been employed here since 1917, when Walter Bellingrath purchased his fishing camp.

After his death his contributions to Walter Bellingrath and the Gardens were remembered at the next board meeting of the Bellingrath-Morse Foundation by trustee Ben Turner. The judge had this to say about him:

It was Frank’s constant purpose to entertain and please Mr. Bellingrath and on occasion when Mr. Bellingrath would have what Frank would call “high company”. Frank would always appear in the role of rendering service and comfort to Mr. Bellingrath . On occasion when visiting the Bellingrath Home, I have heard Mr. Bellingrath call Frank to the porch, where he would be sitting, and say “Frank, there is something wrong with that moon tonight. It does not seem to be hanging where it belongs. Can’t you fix it?” Frank would cheerfully and confidently reply, “Boss, there sure is something wrong with that moon, it seems to be hanging in the wrong place. I’ll fix it.” The incident would then be closed.

At Frank’s funeral Judge Turner recalled this story and told the packed church, “I know when Frank reached the pearly gates he was called upon by Mr. Bellingrath to assist St. Peter in arranging the moon so that it would correspond to his idea of where it should be hung.” He said that Frank’s survivors were so moved at this and recollections of similar tales, that he was unable to continue.

The board unanimously accepted Judge Turner’s motion to make this a part of their minutes and to furnish a copy to each of Frank’s children.

Today, more than sixty years after the death of Frank Woodard, Bellingrath Gardens & Home is still fortunate to have two of his grandchildren as employees: Meg Mosley and Gale Moore, who certainly continue a proud family tradition.