Ethel Franzen

ETHEL LORRAYNE FRANZEN was born October 6, 1920, in Ortonville, MN, and died July 2, 2016, in Minneapolis, MN. She was a graduate of Ortonville High School and the Bethesda Hospital School of Nursing in St. Paul, MN. On March 2, 1943, she married Clarence “Clare” Erickson at the Frederick (OK) Air base and a daughter, Marilyn, was born to them. Following his death in June, 1945, she was employed as a surgical nurse in Ortonville and later as a school nurse. On October 12, 1947, she married Robert C. Franzen. Three more daughters were born to them, Linda, Susan and Margaret.

Their first home was in Langford, SD, where Bob was employed as assistant casher in the Langford State Bank. In 1954, they obtained controlling interest and moved to the First State Bank of Pierpont, SD. Later Bob received approval to move the bank charter to Webster, SD, changing the name to Day County Bank, with the Pierpont location remaining a branch. They retired and sold their bank interest in 1981, moving to Pipestone, MN, in 1989.

Ethel greatly enjoyed music. In high school she was an accompanist and church pianist and served at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Pierpont as church organist for seventeen years. She also enjoyed gardening and became a nationally accredited master flower show judge. While living in Pipestone she served on the Main Street Beautification Project. She was well known for her amazing banana bread which she shared with many friends.

She is survived by four daughters, Marilyn (Kent) Christensen, Eden Prairie, MN, Linda (Gerry) Berglin, Richfield, MN, Susan (Dennis) DeClerk, Flandreau, SD, and Margaret Borg, Edina, MN; thirteen grandchildren, Erik (Ana Paula) Holm, Katie (Kris) Layon, John Holm, Anna Berglin (Fernando Quinones, fiance), Reidun Harris, Peter (Kindra) Berglin, Bridget (Kevin) Roddy, Rob DeClerk, Kathryn (Adam) Wiese, Sara (Jason) Converse, Christina (Gabriel) Jinich, Anders Borg (Brooke Holmgren, fianc), and Anna (Carleton) Hanna; twenty-two great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Ruth Franzen; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Victor and Anna Kallberg; first husband, Clare Erickson; two brothers; two sisters; and her husband, Robert Franzen.

Memorials would be appreciated to St Paul Lutheran Church or the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.