Beloved by family and friends all over the world, Frances M. (Werner) Alguire passed away peacefully Nov. 14, 2024, at age 97, accepting a sudden health decline with grace and the faith that her work on Earth was done. Known for her love of family, genuine caring for others, and belief in women’s leadership abilities, her spirit will continue with all who knew her.
Frances M. Alguire
Dr. Alguire was the first woman and first layperson to head the World Methodist Council 1996-2001. (Courtesy Photo)
Dr. Alguire served as President/Chairperson of World Methodist Council (1996-2001), becoming the first woman and the first lay person to ever lead the 70-million-plus Methodist and Wesleyan members represented by the worldwide Council. Other life honors and recognitions included receiving a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Adrian College, Adrian, MI and a second Doctorate from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL. Fran treasured the numerous Certificates of Recognition and Honorary Mission Membership pins from Jurisdiction, Conference, District and local United Methodist Women’s groups and was included as one of “350 Women Who Changed The World 1976-1996” in Working Women’s Magazine.
Growing up on a rural Michigan family farm during the Great Depression, Fran learned the lessons of work, responsibility, love of family, Christian faith and service to others. All work was done together, by hand, with shared faith and support. The Methodist church in town (pop. 220) was both a spiritual and community center. Fran’s response to an altar call at age 8 led to her lifelong calling. Her parents provided role models for love of family, spiritual practice, and community service. From this influence, despite the limited opportunities for women at that time, Fran believed that women were equal to men in leadership roles and that love of family, work, humor and a firm belief in God would carry one through all life’s challenges.
Fran joined the U.S. Army Cadet Nurse Corps (1945-1948) to attend the Edward W. Sparrow School of Hospital Nursing in Lansing, Michigan. She became a Registered Nurse, an achievement that brought her lifelong joy. Newly graduated, she proudly worked as the Supervisor of a Surgical Unit. She met her ideal partner, Donald E. Alguire, and they married in 1949. During 62 years together, Don and Fran shared their Christian faith and actively worked as partners, exchanging leadership and support roles as life progressed and circumstances required. Fran was a dedicated mother to her two daughters, Mary and Catherine, and volunteered at school, church, and community organizations, including the Red Cross Blood Mobile Unit, Girl Scouts and political precincts, which she continued while returning to school nursing in the 1960s.
Fran and Don helped found the Chapel Hill United Methodist Church (UMC) in Battle Creek, Michigan (1950s). After moving to Illinois, Fran’s leadership roles grew through church volunteer roles and her Women’s Circle, becoming a Certified Lay Speaker and Mission Interpreter. Through the UMC, Fran consulted on Women and Health Programs, Leadership Development, Community Volunteers, Evangelism and Program Planning. She embraced more significant church leadership roles at the state, and then the regional, national, and international levels. From 1971 to 1996 she served in leadership roles with the UMC Commission on General Conference, the United Methodist Women’s Division, UMC Northern Illinois Conference, United Methodist Women Jurisdictions, United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, UMC West Michigan Conference, and the World Methodist Council.
Highlights of Dr. Alguire’s time as President/Chairperson of World Methodist Council (WMC) included meeting with the international dignitaries and local church communities, meeting with the leaders of World Religions in Rome at the Millennium, and awarding five World Methodist Peace Awards. Fran delighted in meeting local people internationally, as well as ambassadors and dignitaries, including Pope John Paul II, Dr. Kofi Annan, the King, Queen and Royal Princess of Tonga, Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo of Argentina, Dr. Nelson Mandela, Dr. Desmond Tutu, and President Jimmy Carter. She chaired multiple international World Methodist Officers’ meetings and World Methodist Executive Committee meetings, attended World Methodist Council meetings, and gave over 50 speaking presentations at numerous U.S. and international locations including Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Tonga, West Samoa, Indonesia, South Korea, and the Philippines. Concurrently, she spoke at local churches, led legislative groups, and served on the Boards of the North Western Missionary Society, the Epworth Old Rectory, and the Directors of Adrian College.
At the end of her tenure as President/Chair of WMC, Dr. Alguire initiated both a $20M WMC Endowment Fund to support future lay people serving as President/Chair of the WMC as well as a WMC leadership award “The Honorable Order of Jerusalem”. She continued to speak in person and on TV/radio, publish articles, support women and laity in leadership roles at her local church, serve as Advisor to the World Council of Churches, and publish a book: God Trusted a Woman: Leadership Lessons from the Life of Dr. Frances M. Alguire, First Laywoman to Lead the World Methodist Council, co-written with United Methodist Insight Editor Cynthia B. Astle.
Astle posted a tribute to Dr. Alguire on the funeral home's website:
"As the co-writer of her biography, "God Trusted a Woman," I had the privilege of spending several weeks in the physical and spiritual presence of Frances M. Alguire. While we had interacted with one another during her term as president of the World Methodist Council, her choice of me to help write her biography, which was included in the 2010 reading list of United Methodist Women, was a gift I will always treasure.
"My acquaintance with Fran through the years taught me the values of patience, persistence and compassion. She was a compromise choice for WMC president at the 1996 World Methodist Conference, enabling the organization to avoid the likely polarization that portended from the election of self-professed fundamentalist candidates. Her nomination by a Korean laywoman marked both the ascendance of women in World Methodist Council leadership and the organization's commitment to collegiality and equity against division.
"Fran was a soft-spoken soul, but underneath her gentle, self-effacing exterior was a woman of steel, thoroughly committed to Jesus Christ and to the empowerment of women. She was fond of quoting the title of our book, "God Trusted a Woman," saying "God trusted a woman to give birth to Jesus, so why shouldn't women be leaders in church?"
"I particularly remember an incident from a service marking the opening of the ecumenical doors at the Vatican in 1999. Fran was last in a line of ecclesiastical prelates and her entry into the chapel was barred by the Swiss Guard. Clad in the purple velvet suit she had made especially for such ceremonial occasions, she pointed to the World Methodist Council president's medallion she wore around her neck as evidence of her right to be present. Nonetheless, a Vatican functionary had to rescue her from the blockade, assuring the Swiss Guard that she was genuinely authorized to commune with bishops, cardinals and Pope John Paul II. More often than not, Fran was the only woman leader and the only layperson among cadres of churchmen at conferences, councils and commemorations. For us laywomen, she was our shining light.
"Fran and I corresponded for several years after our book collaboration until age and declining health apparently made such correspondence difficult for her. I was unaware of her move to the DuBose Healthcare Facility and so lost track of her; I regret not making more effort to contact her. I will miss her friendship, guidance and example greatly. I will do my best to pass along the gifts she shared with the world throughout her extraordinary life."
Throughout the years, Fran kept a daily journal, hosted family and friends, gardened, antiqued, and made handmade needlecraft items and renowned baked goods. When she moved to The Cedars of Chapel Hill in North Carolina in 2006, she joined the local Altrusa Club and volunteered at the DuBose Healthcare Facility. Later, as a resident of DuBose, Fran continued to nurse and nurture leadership in others by giving daily greetings, thanks, and blessings to all. In 2023, she initiated two Named Funds at the University of North Carolina (UNC) to support leadership in the fields of nursing and geriatric medicine.
Fran is preceded in death by her husband Donald E. Alguire, sisters Kathryn Werner Zurakowski (Bill Zurakowski), Pauline Werner Aven (Carl Aven), brother Forrest E. Werner (Lee Pamment) and grandson Jackson A. Vickery. Fran is survived by her daughters Mary F. Papish and Catherine A. Alguire, grandchildren Anna Friedman, Joe Friedman and Erin Vickery, two great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews in Canada, Michigan, New York, and Colorado.
A memorial service will be held at the University United Methodist Church at 150 E. Franklin St, Chapel Hill, NC on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. https://universityumc.church/ A second memorial reception will be held for acquaintances at DuBose Health Center/The Cedars at 101 Green Cedar Lane, Chapel Hill, NC on Dec. 3 at 2:00 p.m. Cards can be sent to the family at 106 Cedar Ridge Way, Durham, NC 27705. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to the following:
The Golden Rule Education Fund for Geriatric Medicine Fellows #346285, Online at https://give.unc.edu/gift/algu or by mail to the UNC Health Foundation, 123 West Franklin Street, Suite 510, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. Contact: Leslie Nelson-Bernier at lhnelson@email.unc.edu
The Golden Rule Nursing Scholarship Fund #422677, Online at go.unc.edu/goldenrule or by mail to the UNC School of Nursing, Attn: UNC Gifts Processing, PO Box 309, Chapel Hill, NC 27514. Contact: Katella Silva at katella@unc.edu or phone 916-247-6665
World Methodist Council Endowment Fund for Youth Leadership https://worldmethodistcouncil.org/contact-us-2/ or phone 828-456-9432
University United Methodist Church - Contact: Betty Peterson, bpeterson@universityumc.church or phone 919-929-7191