Judy Bixler

Janice Collins, Judy, and Gail Morgan

“Judy is the heart and soul of our class of 1960.  For decades she has committed herself to keep addresses and email records of our Classmates. Her friendly emails, with local tidbits and news of classmates, have kept those who live away up to date. Without her, this information would have been lost forever. We have an excellent chance for a great turnout at our Fiftieth Reunion -- because of Judy!”  Marsha Powers, 50^th Reunion Committee Chairperson.

“Judy should have been a detective.  She compiled this list of our class by putting in hours calling relatives of our classmates, trying to track them down. She is very persistent and has managed to find all but a handful of us.  She has made every reunion I have worked on go very smoothly.”  Betty Charles
 
 
Without a doubt, Judy’s enthusiasm for our class and her energy with anything she tries seem without limits.  She has become a natural leader who stands out brilliantly in everything she does.

That really should not be a surprise.  She seemed to many of us to be shy in high school.  But that was not reality.  Judy was on the National Honor Society during her Junior and Senior year, represented our school at Girl’s State, was President of FTA in her senior year, active in Y Teens holding Music Chairman and Treasure positions, and was on the Reflector staff.

After graduation Judy took a job with a local dentist.  She stayed with that office until she got married to fellow classmate, Floyd (Butch) Frankford,  in 1965.  The two had gone to the to prom together in their senior year but lost touch until Butch got out of the Air Force in 1964

“Our first date was to the Trumbull County Fair at Harding High School. He and Art Lattanzi were supposed to be going to but Art didn't go and I did  Not sure how that happened.” Judy says.

When the Frankfords were first married they lived in Niles then moved to Howland Township and finally settled back home in Girard. 

They had two daughters, (Michele) Chele and Kim.  They were very active youngsters and Judy spent a great deal of time encouraging them with these activities. “I have sat through so many dance and baton classes, I think I could teach the classes myself” Judy says with a smile.

Both girls were gymnasts and Judy quickly found herself driving them  around the state for meets and competitions.  “They were in a baton corps so I got to march in many parades.” she says. “ I was room mother through their grade school years then when they went to high school they were in the band so I was band mom.”

Judy enjoyed sharing this time with the girls.  She also became an avid football and basketball fan.  When games were at home she worked in the concession stand.  “I had a ball doing that,” she says.   

Daughter Chele stayed with gymnastics and in her  junior year was State Champion on the Uneven bars.  She was also on the GHS track team in 1980 that won 1^st Place in the State of Ohio.  In 1999 Chele was inducted into the Girard High School Hall of Fame in recognition of achievement and contribution to athletics in Girard.

Daughter Kim joined Chele  on the GHS gymnastic team that took the MVC title four years in a row.

At first glance one might think Judy was a stay at home mom, taking care of the kids.  Not So,  At the same time Judy was so very active with the children’s activities she also was working full time at Frankford Bicycle from 1982 until 1991 and then for Gasser Chair Company, Corporate Office shipping dept.  from 1992 to 2005.  

Judy is able to keep several balls in the air at one time.

Biking and motorcycling has become a big thing in the Frankford household.  Butch and Judy motorcycle every Sunday with Butch’s brothers Bob and Pete and their wives.  “We are always trying to find places to go that we have not been to before,” she explains. “ It seems like our Sunday rides always end up at someplace to eat.  Our favorite places are restaurants anywhere on Lake Erie,  the Ohio River .and Hook, Line and Drinkers on Portage Lakes. But because of everyone's schedule we haven't been able to do any long rides (longer than 100 mi) together.  Perhaps one day we will do Skyline Drive”. 

Dancing also has it’s place in the Frankford home.  The couple are active polka dancers.  “During the summer we can combine our two big hobbies by riding the motorcycles to a polka dance,” Judy declares.

Judy is a member of a ladies bowling team that has taken league championship the last four years in a row.

This very active classmate has also participated in 3 relays for life and was a March of Dimes and Cancer Society volunteer for several years.

The couple enjoys motorcycling, but Butch also is addicted to bicycling.  In fact he has bicycled more total miles than he has motorcycled.  He averages 50 miles per day.  Judy involves herself in this activity by being the designated driver, driving ahead of Butch who will eventually come along on his bike.

“The bike always comes along on vacations,” she says. “I would go ahead 10 miles and wait to give him water or a snack, sometimes he'd wave and yell "another five"  (you have to remember, this was before we had cell phones. If he didn't come in the amount of time I thought it should take him I'd have to go back and find him). I got to read , lay on the beach, shop, get lunch or just sight see. I've waited for him at  the top of   mountains in the Ozarks, on the beach at the Outer Banks of NC, in Acadia State Park in Maine and many other great places.  And I have met many nice people and enjoyed every minute.” 

Over the years the couple have been in 45 of the 50 states. They have seen the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf, Grand Canyon, Gateway Arch, Bad Lands, Fisherman's Wharf and Crookedest St, in San Francisco, Pikes Peak, and San Antonio's Riverwalk and have rode the rapids at the Snake River in Wyoming.

Daughter Chele is a social worker for Valley Counseling in Warren and is a state rated level 10 gymnastics judge.  . 

Daughter Kim followed in Butch's footsteps and went into the Air Force, after she got out of the active service as a Sergeant she joined the reserves at Youngstown Air Base and finished as a  Technical Sergeant. She married back into the AF and today she and her  husband Chief Master Sergeant John Kovach  live in FL.  Both work at Cape Canaveral AFB.  John is from Girard and grew up across the street from the Frankfords.  They have two children Marti 22 and Amanda 21 who now live in the house Judy grew up in on Wilson Ave in Girard.

”I love to jump on a plane and go to Fl, visit Kim, lay in the sun, dancing and being at shuttle liftoffs,” Judy says.  .

Judy Bixler Frankford enjoys life like few of us ever do.  Whether it is the  Amen Corner nights, working on our reunions,. talking to or hearing from classmates, dancing,  being the point person for Butch’s bicycle rides, or travel, Judy jumps in with both feet, enjoying herself all the way.

Thank You Judy, for just being YOU--ED