Frances Evelina McCall Flanagan

Frances Evelina McCall Flanagan, 69, of Marion, North Carolina, passed away Thursday, December 15, 2022 at her home.

She was born in Avery County on August 14, 1953 to the late Robert Plato McCall and Myrtle Geneva McKinney McCall.

Including her parents, she is preceded in death by a sister, Joyce McCall Berry; two brothers, Robert McCall and Wayne McCall; and a brother-in-law, Randy Williams.

Frances was a very intelligent woman who spoke many different languages. She enjoyed traveling and had visited numerous countries. She never met a stranger, and her family and friends meant the world to her. Frances was a very forgiving person whose kindness, friendliness, and laughter will truly be missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her three children, Ashley Flanagan Poptodorova (Alex), Brandon Flanagan (Megan), and Michael Flanagan (Brianna); grandchildren, Charlotte Flanagan, Connor Flanagan, Nolan Kingston, Carter Malakai, and Sienna Rose; her siblings, Amanda Harwood, Carolyn Holland, Robert Toney McCall, Geneva Biddix, Keith McCall, and Virginia Williams, Wayne McCall; special cousin, Terry Pittman; and a special friend who was like a daughter, Julie Guy.

A funeral service will be held on Sunday, December 18, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Beam Funeral Service with Pastors Mike Boone and Rocky Williams officiating. Entombment will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 2:00 until 3:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

A note from her daughter:

Frances Evelina McCall (Flanagan) was a beloved sister, Aunt, friend, but to my brothers and I, she was Mom. I am her eldest daughter, Ashley, penning some words that I believe our Mother would want the world to know.

I am writing as a daughter that grew up most of my childhood without her, due to no fault of her own. Life and circumstances can be so hard, that they leave a wreckage of messy love, but love, despite.

We worked in later years to patch, and make a relationship out of all we knew. To form a bond out of brokenness and a love that pressed on ‘despite of’. My Mother was faced with the loss of her children due to circumstances much beyond all of our control and if I could sum up her life, in a word, it would be STRENGTH.

She had such strength to face being a Mother, with the intense burning love of a Mother’s heart, without her children for so many years. She never stopped loving, calling or doing all of the things Mothers do.

I think she would want you to know, that despite the hard times you face, despite the losses and the sometimes ‘painful’ things you endure, that we (you and I) can love in spite of these things.
We can make a choice to do hard things and to step into painful places in LOVE. My mother did it, every single day.

 I know she would tell you to never stop loving those who are ‘yours’ despite their flaws and their imperfections. To press on through the things that can be sometimes so unfair and hard. She would tell you to laugh and to never stop pursuing family, that is worth fighting for.

For so many years, I grew up longing for a deep relationship with my Momma. In later years, Jesus blessed me with the ability to do something about it, and build our relationship the best way we all knew how. My latest memories of her, are of laughter and joy and silliness. All of the things that form what makes it so hard, to say goodbye.
I experienced by first Thanksgiving with her, my first craft show, her first birthday and so many more firsts…together.

I think our Mother would want you to know that amidst great sadness, there can be found great joy. Amidst great pain, there can be found great laughter. Look for the good. Be kind. Smile more. Love bigger. Don’t let the things that hurt so bad, rob you of one more second of life. It is never too late to make something beautiful out of the hard fabric you may have been dealt.

 Lastly, as we all know so very well, she would want you to know… take that call. When the phone rings, answer. There will be a day where you will long greatly, to have just one … more …call.

To my Momma, I love you. I admire that strength that you had and the intense love for your family and your children. I will never forget you and I will CLING to the special memories we made. I love you forever, rest with Jesus.

Love,

Ashley Nicole Flanagan