Funeral services for Kenneth L. Fransen, 95, of Jackson, Minnesota, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, April 18, 2015, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Jackson, located at 614 Logan Avenue.
Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Cemetery, located south of Jackson on Highway #71.
Visitation will be held at the church on Friday, April 17, 2015, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again the day of the funeral service from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Brian Simmons will officiate at the services.
Kenneth L. Franzen passed away at the Sanford Jackson Medical Center on Sunday, April 12, 2015.
Osterberg Funeral Home in Jackson is handling the arrangements.
Kenneth Laverne Fransen was born on the family farm in Wisconsin Township, Jackson County, Minnesota on May 30, 1919, the son of Carl and Hannah (Johnson) Fransen. He attended country school in Wisconsin Township. Upon completion of 8th grade, he stayed home and farmed with his dad, from caring for the livestock to picking corn by hand.
On February 22, 1941, he was united in marriage to Donna Mae Johnson at the Hauge Church. After marriage, the couple lived on a farm in Wisconsin Township and in 1958, they moved to the farm a mile away.
Ken was a lifelong member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, where he was baptized and “ready for the minister” (confirmed). He served on the church council, and looked forward to helping with the annual lutefisk supper. Ken loved farming. He looked forward to spring planting, walking out to check on his fields during the summer and the harvest in the fall. This past harvest, he rode in the combine with his grandson, still telling his farm stories.
Ken had many interests including bowling, camping, golf and hunting deer in Wyoming after the harvest. Ken’s real passion was traveling with Donna. For 20-plus years, Ken and Donna spent the winters in Arizona and Southern California with friends and family. Ken also loved to fish throughout his life, enjoying many trips to Big Stone Lake and Lake of the Woods. He especially loved having a fish fry with the catch; he enjoyed his last family fish fry on the Thursday before he passed away.
For the past 25 years, attending their grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s events was a special joy for both Ken and Donna. They traveled to horse shows, even out-of-state; to wrestling meets, football, basketball, volleyball and softball games. He was truly their biggest fan! Morning coffee at Santee on Tuesdays and Sunshine rest of the week, with friends brought great joy to Ken’s life, hearing and telling all the stories that never got old.
Kenneth is survived by his children, Ronald (Maggie) Fransen of Jackson, Roger (Carolyn) Fransen of Ortonville, Minnesota, Rick (Eva) Fransen of Jackson, Rita Fransen of Jackson, Rebecca Buckmeier of Rochester, Minnesota and Robyn Fransen of Jackson; 10 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; his brother, Russell (Merva) Fransen of Jackson; his sisters, Ardith Hansen of Odin, Minnesota and Delores (Allen) Hauge of Osage, Iowa; his sisters-in-law, Myrtle Shearer of Jackson, Leola Johnson of Jackson, Ruth Korbin of Solvang, California and Evelyn Fransen of Jackson and many nieces and nephews.
Kenneth was preceded in death by his wife, Donna; his parents, Carl and Hannah; two brothers, Quinton Fransen and Leland “Teel” Fransen; a son-in-law, Robert Buckmeier; a daughter-in-law, Jan Fransen and a grandson, Paul Fransen.
