Birth: August 7, 1924
Death: December 31, 2014
Location: Lot 135, Section 5, New Addition
Genevieve “Jenny” Roberta Franke, 90, of Grand Island died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014, at CHI Health St. Francis.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Trinity United Methodist Church in Gollaher Chapel with Rev. Theresa Mason officiating. Interment will be at the Wood River Cemetery. Apfel Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Jenny was born Aug. 7, 1924, in Seward, the daughter of Fred and Anna (Wickenkamp) Mason.
Survivors include her three children, John Franke (Barb) of Wood River, Laurie Berggren (Christopher) of Blair, and Jim Franke (Debbie) of Lincoln; and a brother-in-law, Herman Larsen of Geneva.
Also surviving are eight grandchildren, Dustin Franke, Kristin Paben (Kyle), Jordan Franke, Caleb Berggren, Seth Berggren, Anna Berggren, Aubrey Franke and Mason Franke; two great-grandchildren, Cole Paben and Avery Paben; and multiple nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was raised in Seward and was valedictorian of her high school class. Jenny attended business school in Lincoln and also worked for the Social Security Administration. During that time she met Robert “Bob” Stuart Franke, whom she married on July 31, 1948, at First Plymouth Congregational Church in Lincoln.
Jenny and Bob moved to Provo, Utah, for three years after they were married, where Jenny was employed by U.S. Steel. Bob and Jenny then settled in Grand Island when Bob was employed by Countryman and Associates.
Jenny was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother to her entire family. Cooking and sewing were passions of hers, and she was an active 4-H leader and enjoyed passing on her knowledge and skills of cooking and sewing to others. She was always showing hospitality to family, friends and guests that visited her home. Music was important to Jenny, and she enjoyed singing with Mother Singers and going to dances with Bob. Jenny was an avid bridge player and played in many bridge clubs. She enjoyed golfing with her family and taking her family on vacations to Estes Park, Colo. Jenny also enjoyed traveling with the airstream club when Bob retired. They traveled to Texas, Alaska and all over the country with their airstream trailer. Jenny was a devoted caregiver to Bob in his later years of life. Jenny and Bob were married for 62 years, until the time of Bob’s death.
Jenny was preceded in death by her husband Robert Franke; sister Elizabeth Larsen; three brothers, Walt Mason, Robert Mason and Fritz Mason; and several cousins.