'No greater trailblazer': Five women join the Okaloosa County Women's Hall of Fame

Collin Bestor, Northwest Florida Daily News
·4 min read

FORT WALTON BEACH — Five women were honored on Monday evening for significantly impacting lives within Okaloosa County.

Bonnie R. Barlow, Cindy Frakes, Judge Patricia Grinsted, Col. Teresa W. Ryan and Lt. Betty Jo Hunter were inducted into the hall of fame for the Okaloosa County Commission on the Status of Women.

The Commission on the Status of Women was established by the Okaloosa County Commission in 1995 with a goal of eliminating barriers to women's success. Since then, its primary goal has been to help women succeed through research, education and communication.

In 1995, seven women were inducted as the first class to the Women's Hall of Fame. To date, there are more than 150 women who have been given this honor.

Inductees are honored on a wall in the Okaloosa County Administrative Offices in Shalimar, Crestview and Niceville.

Here are this year's inductees for the Class of 2023 for the Okaloosa Women's Hall of Fame.

Bonnie R. Barlow

"Positivity is a perfect description of Bonnie Barlow," OCCSW representative Linda Flowers said. "She's never without a smile, and she radiates positivity."

Bonnie Barlow oversees operations at the Bridgeway Center in Okaloosa County.
Bonnie Barlow oversees operations at the Bridgeway Center in Okaloosa County.

Barlow is this year's Carolyn Spencer Humanitarian inductee. Barlow has spent 38 years with the Bridgeway Center and has led the center since 2018.

"Let us remember that each act of kindness, no matter how small, contributes to the large tapestry of positive change," Barlow said. "It's the countless hours spent volunteering at shelters. The tireless efforts to provide aid in times of disaster and the persistent advocacy to those who cannot speak for themselves that truly define the essence of humanitarianism."

Cindy Frakes

"There is no greater trailblazer or advocate in lifting women up than Cindy Frakes," said Kay Rasmussen in her endorsement letter.

Cindy Frakes was the Community Service inductee. A longtime real estate agent and advocate for women.
Cindy Frakes was the Community Service inductee. A longtime real estate agent and advocate for women.

Frakes is this year's Community Service inductee. She is a longtime real estate agent and served 16 years on the Okaloosa County School Board. She has also served on the Northwest Florida State College Foundation and is the past chair of OneOkaloosa.

"Since I was a little girl, I volunteered," Frakes said. "I guessed I learned volunteerism from my parents. They were very active in our community and in our church, and they taught us it was important to give back. It adds value to our own lives and adds value to our community."

Judge Patrica Grinsted

Grinsted is this year's Professional Leader inductee and was the first female judge in Okaloosa County, serving from 2004 to 2021. Grinstead now serves as a senior judge appointed by the Florida Supreme Court. She graduated cum laude from Florida State University with a degree in music therapy and earned law degree with high honors from the FSU School of Law.

The Honorable Patricia Grinsted was the first woman to serve as a judge in Okaloosa County.
The Honorable Patricia Grinsted was the first woman to serve as a judge in Okaloosa County.

"I am really honored," Grinstead said. "I really appreciate my colleagues and friends in the Women's Association of Florida Lawyers for nominating me. As you can see my life took a lot of divergent twists and turns over the years as a 20-year-old piano student sitting in the practice rooms up on the top floor of the FSU School of Music. I never would have had a clue that I would have been going to law school, much less pursuing a career in family law or ultimately sitting on the bench in Okaloosa County, Florida. It's been a wild ride."

Col. Teresa W. Ryan

Ryan is this year's military inductee. Over the span of her 35-year career, Ryan initially started in intelligence before transitioning to the nursing corps, which involved tours of duty in operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. She then transitioned to the private sector and is now an assistant professor at the Northwest Florida State College School of Nursing.

Retired Air Force Col. Teresa Ryan was a combat veteran who advanced women's health during her time in the military. She now teaches at the NWFSC School of Nursing.
Retired Air Force Col. Teresa Ryan was a combat veteran who advanced women's health during her time in the military. She now teaches at the NWFSC School of Nursing.

"On my journey from bedside nursing to nurse leadership to working as one of the first military sexual assault responders and becoming a nurse researcher, and finally to teaching nursing, I have always been able to promote the health of women," Ryan said.

Lt. Betty Jo Hunter

Hunter began serving with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office in 1967 and became the department's first female officer.

Lt. Betty Jo Hunter served with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office as the first female officer.
Lt. Betty Jo Hunter served with the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office as the first female officer.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden spoke on stage with Hunter by his side and offered some thoughts during his speech. Aden said that the pair have known each other since he was 21 and didn't know her name because everyone called her "Mama Joe."

"Larry Gilbert was the sheriff, but she ran the office," Aden said. "She is the one, the trendsetter that broke the barriers."

Aden said the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office has a high number of female employees in the department because of her contributions.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Learn more about the five women inducted in the Okaloosa County HOF