Frances Sarah Woofenden's Obituary
FRANCES SARAH WOOFENDEN
Frances Woofenden of West Palm Beach died on the evening of Thursday, June 23, 2023, at Hospice of Palm Beach County. She was 98 years old. Frances was born in the Canadian city of Sydney, Nova Scotia on December 9, 1924. She was the daughter of Russian-born Demitrius A. Madinsky and Polish-born Frances S. Madinsky of Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Frances, widowed in 2005, was happily married to Dr. Stewart Woofenden for 57 years until his passing. Stewart also died peacefully at Hospice of Palm Beach County. Frances is survived by her beloved daughter Judith A. Tregre and her son-in-law George W. Tregre of West Palm Beach, and their daughter, Alexandra Tregre of Atlanta, Georgia.
Frances grew up in Nova Scotia until she met and married her late husband, Stewart. They met at her cousin’s house during World War 2 while Stewart was serving - shortly thereafter, they fell in love. Frances and Stewart were married in her hometown in Canada before they moved to Detroit, Michigan and then, Des Moines, Iowa where Stewart graduated from Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1953. After graduation, they moved to the Palm Beaches where, for 34 years, Stewart owned his medical practice and they lived their remaining years together.
Frances was a loving mother to her three children, her surviving daughter and the eldest - Judith, and sons Johnny and Jeffrey, both deceased. She raised her three children as a stay-at-home mom who helped with her husband’s medical practice. Frances was an avid golfer and water skier. Frances and Stewart remained passionately involved in the water ski community throughout their lives. They were founding members of the “Ski Club of the Palm Beaches”.
Following the death of her husband, at age 82 Frances became a local celebrity and ultimately garnered national attention for her water-skiing prowess and enthusiasm. She only began to water ski in her 40’s, but Frances competed in both the slalom and the trick skiing events at the Water Ski National Championships until she was 85 years old. She has won over 100 medals and still currently holds the Water Ski World Record in for the ‘Women’s 10 (80-84 years inclusive) slalom event’ for achieving 2 buoys at 22 feet off the rope!
Perhaps Dianna Smith of The Palm Beach Post best captured the true spirit of Frances when she keenly observed back in 2009, “Frances refuses to sacrifice style for her sport or sex appeal because of her age. She favors cotton-candy colored lipstick, pearly pink nail polish and
a backless violet bathing suit. (She likes to match her suits to her beige and purple Nautiques ski boat.) And always, in water or on land, her gold hoop earrings, make her feel "complete."
At age 82, CBS Assignment America profiled Frances on its evening news segment. After the segment aired, she became a featured sponsor of national advertisements for the popular vegetable juice brand, V8. At the impressive age of 83, she went on to appear in V8’s nationally broadcast commercial where she soared across the lake on her water skis. Additionally, V8 featured Frances in multiple publications like Women’s Day and Martha Stewart Living as a role model for lifelong health and fitness. Frances enjoyed her remaining years on the water with her surviving family and friends; traveling, biking, skiing and everything in between.
A celebration of her beautiful life will be held at a future time to be determined. More details will be posted on this Palm Beach Memorial website for Frances. We encourage loved ones to share memories and show their support for her surviving family here. Thank you all and may Frances’s legacy live on within each of the many lives she touched
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