Frank Spiczka

Francis “Frank” Spiczka, age 72, of Tyler, Minnesota, died Sunday, April 10, 2016 at Sunrise Manor Nursing Home in Tyler. Memorial services are being planned for a later date due to a family emergency.

Francis Valerian Spiczka was born to Frank Stanley and Mathilda Veronica (Niedzielski) Spiczka on January 6, 1944 in Gilman, Minnesota. In the spring of 1947 Frank moved with his parents to Foley, Minnesota, and in the fall of 1947 they moved to Albany, Minnesota where his dad worked for Kraft Foods. In 1950, the family moved to St. Nicholas, Minnesota and his dad worked as a boiler engineer at the Cold Spring Brewery in Cold Spring, Minnesota. While living in St. Nicholas, Frank attended Catholic school. In 1955 the family moved to a farm home east of St. Nicholas where Frank attended school in a one-room country school house. He continued his education at Kimball High School in Kimball, Minnesota. On February 9, 1961 Frank enlisted in the United States Air Force and received his technical training in the electrical field. His home base station was at the Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, South Dakota. While stationed there he met Karen Bitterman. Frank was honorably discharged from the air force on February 9, 1965 and left active duty. On February 13, 1965 Frank and Karen were united in marriage at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Rapid City. Following their marriage, they moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where Frank worked at a service station and then as a mechanic at Columbia Capital Transit. In 1966 they moved to Lake Andes, South Dakota and worked at the Rest Haven Resort. While at the resort, a major storm caused power outages over a large area. Frank started working with a power line contractor, Stake Construction. After completing the storm damage repairs he stayed with the contractor and moved to Tyler, Minnesota, settling on a farm site south of town. In the fall of 1967 Frank began working as a power lineman for Lyon-Lincoln Electric Cooperative in Tyler. In April, 1972 the couple purchased a farm home in Section 32 of Marshfield Township west of Tyler. Frank retired as the manager of the Member Relations Department and Director of Safety in December 2006 after working for the Cooperative for 39 years and six months. On Sunday, April 10, 2016 Frank died at Sunrise Manor Nursing Home in Tyler at the age of 72.

Frank was a member of St. Dionysius Catholic Church in Tyler where he was a member of the Knights of Columbus as a third degree Catholic Knight. He was also a member of the A.C. Hansen American Legion Post 185. He enjoyed woodworking. He especially enjoyed mother nature and spending time outdoors. He watched the sunset whenever possible.

Frank is lovingly remembered by his wife, Karen of Tyler, MN; four children, Carol Alexander of Tyler, MN, Ruth (Matt) Pearson of Front Royal, VA, Brenda Brown of Spearfish, SD, and Stanley (Sandy) Spiczka of Front Royal, VA; nine grandchildren; one great-grandson; five sisters, Mary Ann (Jim) Wegrzyn of Ankeny, IA, Delores (Matt) Shifflet of Minneapolis, MN, Kathline Stearns of St. Cloud, MN, Celestine (Bob) Beckius of Watkins, MN, and Rosella (Pete) Roeser of Walker, MN; and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his grandson, Nicholas; his parents; two brothers, Benedict and Harry Spiczka; and a sister, Lorraine Schaffer.