Frances Draper

Frances Elizabeth Draper died on September 1, 2021. She was born in Bridgeport, CT on March 31,1956 and grew up in Albuquerque, NM. Frances did her undergraduate studies at Stanford, following graduation she served her home state as a staffer for U.S. Senator Jack Schmidt, (D-NM). She received her MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business. Moving to Boulder in 1981, Frances started her career in banking at First Interstate Bank rising to EVP of Electronic Banking. Frances left banking to work for Access Graphics as the Director of the Treasury rising to become a VP, the company then became GE Access. This role also introduced her to her husband and adoring partner of more than 20 years Michael. Following GE, she became Executive Director of the Boulder Economic Council for the Boulder Chamber. In the fall of 2005, Frances collaborated with the Business School and Economics department at CU to develop the BEC’s annual Economic Summit which still exists today. This collaboration contributed to her eventual transition to CU. At CU she served as the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Relations and Communications, was one of the founders of CO-Labs (a local incubator that elevates research for the greater good). Frances transitioned to a Senior Strategic Advisor role in 2020 to spend more time with family and retired in March of 2021.

Frances leaves behind an indelible mark on our community through her work. She was passionate about using her business acumen to help develop and promote causes to benefit her community. She served on many boards including Naturally Boulder, Mile High United Way, and Make a Wish Foundation. Her most profound contributions are likely found in the countless individuals she mentored, counseled, supported and fought for on an individual level to help lift-up those around her. She has been honored by the community in many ways throughout the years including: Women Who Light Up the Community, Rotary and Boulder Chamber’s Businessperson of the Year - 2013.

Frances was an incredibly dynamic person: strong and soft, able to cut through the noise and find a seat for everyone at the table, driven and patient. She was an adoring spouse, mother, sister, aunt, granny and mother-in-law and a gravitational center for her family. She was an avid sailor, hiker and traveler who adored moving outside. Her many happiest places included New Mexico where she was raised, Cape Cod where she spent summers with her family and her wonderful home of 30 years surrounded by friends, neighbors and community in Boulder. She is predeceased by her parents Eaton Hamilton Draper and Frances Elizabeth Breck Benbow Draper.

Her memory is carried on by her husband Michael Minard, her son Karl Kumli, his wife Justine Fallon and their daughter Breck Fallon, her daughter Anneka Kumli-Dole and her husband Thomas Dole, her step-son Antone Minard and his husband Mathew Parry, her brother John Draper and his wife Lucy Draper, her brother Charles Draper and other beloved members of the extended family.

In lieu of sending flowers, the family asks that if you would like to honor her, please consider donating to one of the following organizations in her name:
Boulder Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Non- violence: https://www.safehousealliance.org/donate/

Boulder Women’s Health: https://boulderwomenshealth.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/boulderwomenshealth/donation.jsp?test=true&campaign=62&

Emergency Family Assistance Association: https://www.efaa.org/donate/funds/