OUR STORYAbout Frances Golden
Zadie Frances Jernigan Golden was born the fifth of seven siblings to Joseph and Emma Jernigan just before the Great Depression. Her father was an educator, teaching and serving as principal in several rural Alabama schools. Her mother was a homemaker. Strong-willed and spirited from birth, Frances opted to drop the name Zadie early on, saying it sounded much too serious and mature for her liking.
In her early teens, she met her husband of 53 years, Don Golden, while living in Brundidge, Alabama. Honoring her dad's rule of “no marriage until 21,” Frances and Don wed just three days after her 21st birthday. Frances initially resisted her parents’ urging to pursue a college education but ultimately earned a degree in physical education from Alabama College, State College for Women (now University of Montevallo).
She supported her husband throughout his medical training as the sole breadwinner, working as a physical education instructor at both Auburn University and Minor High School.
ZADIE & CO.'S NAMESAKEAfter residency, Don and Frances returned to Brundidge for 35 years where they raised their four children, ran the town’s sole medical practice (with Frances serving as the reluctant bookkeeper), hosted frequent gatherings in their home, and actively participated in the life of the community before retiring to their favorite place on earth: Lake Martin, Alabama.
Some of Frances’s favorite pastimes included spending time with family and friends around a card table, watching Auburn football or Braves baseball, participating in church activities, tending to her flower garden, and cooking southern favorites for a crowd. Everyone who knew her had their own story to tell of how she made them laugh with her quick wit and how she blessed them with her integrity, friendship, joy, and faith. It was a privilege to know her.
Frances actively nurtured personal relationships with her children and twelve grandchildren, finding a special way to connect with each one. Her deeply personal investment continues to bear fruit. Her sixth grandchild, Rosie Stafford Smith, honors her legacy by carrying forward the name she left behind and leading Zadie & Co. as a force for good in the world.