Frances K. Cheesebrough

Cheesebrough ~ Frances Clara Kennedy-Cheesebrough was born in Jacksonville, Florida on October 24, 1934. On this day, parents Charles Kennedy and Ora Mae Shields-Kennedy welcomed their baby girl Frances, the youngest of their three daughters.  Sisters Ora Mae Kennedy-Hollinger (Evans) and Rosa Lee Kennedy-Marshall (John) preceded her in death. When the three sisters’ mother passed three weeks after the birth of Frances, the siblings were raised by their maternal grandmother and several aunts and uncles.  

Frances' early education included Darnell Cookman Elementary, Davis Street Middle School, Stanton High School, Jacksonville, Florida. She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Miami, Florida.  After completing two years at Storer College in Virginia, she went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Bethune Cookman College. A music prodigy, she attended Columbia University School of Music in New York, to be certified to teach music in the Broward County School System. 

Always having a thirst to excel, Frances attended Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida and became the first black certified Special Education Teacher at Lake Forest Elementary, Lake Forest, Florida. During those years, she also taught Adult Education night classes at Carvers Ranches Elementary, Summer School, Swim Lesson, and the Majorettes at Attucks High School.  

After several years of teaching at Bethune Elementary in Dania, Florida, she left to become one of three black teachers to integrate Lake Forest Elementary School, Lake Forest, Florida.  There she was selected as Lake Forest's "Teacher of The Year."  After thirty-six years of teaching, she retired and returned home to Jacksonville, Florida. Not one to sit idle, she went to work for J. E. Fralin & Sons Funeral Home.  She worked there until an illness caused her to leave.

While establishing her career, she married and divorced her elementary school sweetheart and the father of her four children. Married and divorced once again, she later met her husband, the late Frederick Cheesebrough. 

For many years, she was an active member of Gamma Phi Delta, the Florida Mass Choir, and the Gospel Soul Voices.  In 1976, she was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from B. F. Lee Theological Seminary, Edward Waters College. In March 2018, she received the ALCAM Awards for her musical contributions. She was not only a gifted piano player, but she also had a beautiful voice.  

During her formative years, she attended St Stephens AME Church and Second Baptist Church here in Jacksonville.  After moving to West Hollywood, Florida, she joined (now Greater) Ward Chapel AME Church and played the piano for the choir. She often played the piano for different churches around town, when needed. She also loved giving free piano lessons to the neighborhood kids. Once she moved back to Jacksonville, she joined and served as an usher for Bethel Baptist Institutional Church. After her daughter Reverend Dr. Vaseal Montgomery was assigned as Pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church (Southside), Jacksonville, she became a part of The Mt. Zion AME Church Family.

On September 20, 2024, at 2:10am, Frances would succumb to a host of internal and external medical issues.

She leaves to mourn her passing, her beloved children, daughters, Donna Banks (David), Vaseal Montgomery, Marsha Montgomery; son, Wilbur "Pop" Montgomery (Brigette); grandchildren, Takiyah Lewis, Tesia Lewis-Barnes, Talila Lewis, Mario Montgomery, Tyesha Banks, Maurice Montgomery, Lori Montgomery; great-grandchildren, Leilani Montgomery, Devin Nelson, Denise Banks and Dakari Banks, Mario Dante’ Montgomery; dearest cousins, Ruth Gary, Brenda Ballard (Mel), Byron Pride, Ishmael Sharp; and an abundance of other loving family and friends.

Celebration of Life service for Mrs. Frances Clara Kennedy Cheesebrough will be 2:00PM Saturday, September 28, 2024, at Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church Southside, 3811 St. Augustine Road.  Visitation Saturday from 12 – 2:00 PM at The Church.  Entombment in Evergreen Cemetery.  Because of the love of her family, arrangements entrusted to J. E. Fralin & Sons Funeral & Cremation Services, 5065 Soutel Drive, 904-924-9400

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