Fran (Giffin) Mickel, 96, of Westminster MD was a true artist who saw beauty in everything and a true friend who was genuinely interested in and cared about everyone. After several years living with Alzheimer’s, this determined, daring, unique, and delightful woman passed away peacefully at home at Brightview at Westminster Ridge on December 21, 2023.

Born May 23, 1927, to Lucile and Milford Giffin in Wichita Kansas, she grew up and graduated from Wichita High School North in 1946. Two years later, she married Howard (“Mick”) Mickel and their family expanded over time to include six children: four adopted and two biological. While raising the kids, Fran continued her education at Midland Lutheran College in Fremont, Nebraska, and Bethany College Art School in Chicago. By 1969, she was a very busy single parent who earned a Bachelor of Education in Fine Arts from Wichita State University. It was her pursuit of education and a better life that led Fran pack up all of her kids in a VW van to move east to Baltimore.

In 1971, Fran graduated from the University of Maryland Baltimore with a master's in social work. Soon after, she started as the first director of the Carroll County Commission on Aging, where she developed the Meals on Wheels program and senior centers. In 1974, she became the Director of Community Services at Catonsville Community College, from which she retired in 1992 as the acting director of Continuing Education. Throughout the years, she was tenacious, thoughtful, and persuasive when it came to raising her large family while improving her community. For example, as former delegate Anne Perkins recalled, Fran “did a little good by raising a little hell” as she fought for better education programs for kids who spent time in Western Maryland Juvenile Services facilities, successfully getting the Department of Juvenile Services and the House Judiciary Committee to address the problem.

Fran’s choice to stay in Maryland was a stroke of great fortune for the Baltimore region and Maryland overall, as her commitment to doing all the good she could extended to the community in so many ways. When she accompanied a group of Baltimore students from City, Poly and Western high schools on a trip to China as part of the first Baltimore-Xiamen Summer Language Camp, her humor, teaching skills, and parenting expertise were invaluable in helping all of the kids have an experience of a lifetime. In campaigns spanning nearly 30 years, Fran used her energy, tenacity, and ability to connect with all kinds of people while going door-to-door with her daughter, former delegate Maggie McIntosh. Fran was straightforward and charming, and never forgot to ask, “Will you put my daughter’s sign in your yard?”

Fran was deeply proud of all of her children, often sharing stories about their accomplishments and daily ways in which each of them helped others. Her children are equally proud of their mother, noting that their successes are due in part to being raised by Fran. In recent years, her daughter Mari Selby became a near constant companion to Fran, applying her ingenuity as an experienced parent and her training as a medical technologist to help Fran live a long, happy and healthy life that spanned nearly 100 years.

One of Fran’s greatest joys was to watch her grandchildren grow and develop their talents. “Gammy Fran” would visit with her arms full of odds and ends and other art supplies to regularly give her grandkids many ways to be creative. Fran was also fortunate to have 30 years in retirement, during which her friends, family, neighbors, church and community members benefitted from Fran’s creative outlet of the moment, including tie-die t-shirts, watercolors, Christmas ornaments, bookmarks, jewelry, knitted hats, paintings, sketches, and intricate designs drawn onto rocks that she collected everywhere she went. She traveled the world, loved to meet people and explore other cultures in places like China, Iceland, Jamaica, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Ireland, England, and Greece, to name a few.

She was a member of the Carroll County Arts Council, the Carroll County Mental Health Association, the Oakland United Methodist Church, and the Mountain Club of Maryland. In addition to loving each of her kids and their spouses, grandchildren and great grandchildren, she enjoyed art of all kinds, traveling, hiking, golfing, and working on community projects at her church.

She is survived by four children: Mari Selby (Tim Selby) of Westminster, Maggie McIntosh (Diane Stollenwerk) of Baltimore, Eric Mickel of Westminster, and Evan Mickel of Prince George’s County. Fran is also survived by five grandchildren: Adam Selby (Caroline Selby), Allison Simpkins (Jeffrey Simpkins), Ava Mickel, Grayson Mickel, and Reese Mickel. She is survived by three great-grandchildren: Ella, Emelia, and Everett. Fran was predeceased by her children Ellery Mickel and Amy Mickel, and her brother Stan Giffin and her sister Gynith Giffin.

Fran was delighted by life, which she approached with courage and compassion. Everyone who was part of her family, circle of friends, or met her at church, in a neighborhood, at work, or in the community, knew they were blessed and lucky to have Fran in their lives.

Arrangements handled by Pritts Funeral Home and Chapel in Westminster. Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601, or to the Oakland United Methodist Church, 5901 Mineral Hill Road, Sykesville, MD 21784. Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.prittsfuneralhome.com.