Agnes Ellen Frank, 97, was born on April 12, 1906 in Cylon Township of St. Croix County, the daughter of George and Ellen (Mowat) Williamson. She was baptized and confirmed at the United Methodist Church in Deer Park.
She graduated from New Richmond High School, and attended a year of school in New Richmond to get a teaching cerification. She later continued that education to get her teaching degree at Superior. She was an elementary teacher in Somerset for a few years before taking a position as the sixth grade teacher in Spooner. Agnes taught in Spooner through the spring of 1940. On September 1, 1940, she was united in marriage to Orville C. Frank, and to this union two daughters were born. They made their home in Deer Park and together Agnes and Orville operated the Fairway Cash Store in Deer Park for the next 35 years. Agnes enjoyed children coming into the store, and they were often rewarded with an ice cream cone or some candy. When time allowed, she and Orville enjoyed travelling. She also would go trout fishing with Orville. Even though she didn't fish, she would enjoy the day outdoors sitting along the stream or river enjoying the sights of nature. Together they enjoyed their cabin on Lake Magnor and the 4-Star, a cabin up north.
Agnes was a lifelong member of the Deer Park United Methodist Church and was active in church activities. She enjoyed very much entertaining friends and family at their home. The loss of her loving husband of 55 years was very difficult, but Agnes continued living at her home in Deer Park until 1998. Health issues made it necessary to move to Golden Age Manor in Amery. When Judy's Cottage opened at Golden Age she was able to move into that part of the facility. She remained there until the time of her death on March 3, 2004.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Orville and sisters Margaret Sinclear and Claire Branham.
Left to mourn are her daughters Lona Jean (Bruce) Delong, and Margaret (Dan) Lien all of Amery. She also leaves two grandsons Andrew and Peter Lien and a great-granddaughter Isabella Rose as well as other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held 11 a.m. Saturday, March 6, 2004 at Deer Park United Methodist Church with Rev. Terri Koca officiating. Soloist was Ione Gjerde. Organist was Joyce Petersen. Casketbearers were Andrew Lien, Peter Lien, Charles Goodlad, Dan Lien, Bruce Delong and Merlin Frank. Interment was at the Calvary Cemetery in Deer Park.
The Williamson Funeral Home in Amery assisted the family with
arrangements.
(New Richmond News - Thursday, March 11, 2004)
AGNES FRANK
Services for Agnes Frank, 97, were at the Deer Park United Methodist church on Saturday, March 6, at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Terri Koca officiating. Soloist was Ione Gjerde and organist, Joyce Petersen.
Casketbearers were Andrew Lien, Peter Lien, Charles Goodlad, Dan Lien, Bruce Delong and Merlin Frank. Interment was at Calvary Cemetery, Deer Park, with Williamson Funeral Home, Amery, assisting the family.
Agnes Ellen Frank was born on April 12, 1906, in Cylon Township, St. Croix county, the daughter of George and Ellen (Mowat) Williamson. She was baptized and confirmed at the United Methodist church, Deer Park, and graduated from New Richmond High School. She attended a year of school in New Richmond to get her teaching certification and later continued that education to get her teaching degree at Superior.
She was an elementary teacher in Somerset for a few years before taking a position as the sixth grade teacher in Spooner, teaching through the spring of 1940.
On September 1, 1940, she was married to Orville C. Frank and two daughters were born. They made their home in Deer Park where they operated the Fairway Cash Store for the next 35 years.
She was a lifelong member of the Deer Park United Methodist church and was active in activities.
She continued living at her home in Deer Park until 1998 when health issues made it necessary to move to Golden Age Manor, Amery. When Judy's Cottage opened at Golden Age Manor, she was able to move into that part of the facilities. She remained there until the time of her death on March 3.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Orville; and sisters, Margaret Sinclear and Claire Branham.
She is survived by daughters, Lona Jean (Bruce) Delong and Margaret (Dan)
Lien, all of Amery; two grandsons; and a great granddaughter.
(Amery Free Press - Tuesday, March 9, 2004)
Saint Paul Pioneer Press
Posted on Sat, Mar. 20, 2004
OBITUARY AGNES FRANK, 97: Deer Park store
owner, schoolteacher
BY NICK FERRARO
Pioneer Press
Agnes Frank, former schoolteacher and longtime owner of Fairway Cash Store in Deer Park, died March 3 of natural causes. She was 97.
Born in 1906 in Cylon Township in Polk County, Frank gained her independence at an early age by taking a train to attend high school in New Richmond, said her daughter, Margaret Lien.
After graduating from high school in 1925 with teaching credits, she taught first through eighth grades at Landing Hill School, located west of Somerset.
"She was 19 years old and would board with families so she could teach," Lien said. "She would travel back to Deer Park by train by flagging down the train with a lantern."
Frank then earned a teaching degree from Superior State Teacher's College and taught sixth grade at Hammil School in Spooner from 1930 to 1940.
"She just loved working with children," Lien said. "She had kept and cherished all the notebooks, plan books and pictures of the kids whom she taught."
Lien said her mother worked not only to support herself, but also to help her parents make payments on the family farm during the Depression.
In 1940 she married Orville Frank, a teacher at Sunnyside School near Glenwood City who also grew up in Deer Park. They both gave up their teaching careers so they could be closer to their aging parents in Deer Park, and so her father could better support his family, Lien said. Orville then bought Fairway Cash Store, a small general store that sold everything from dry goods to hardware, and together they ran the store for the next 34 years.
"Deer Park was a bustling farming community in those days," she said. "My dad was busy selling meat and cheese and my mom was the social aspect, visiting with people."
Lien said her mom enjoyed giving local children candy and ice cream. "She loved to talk and visit with them," she said.
They sold the general store in 1974, Lien said, and spent their days sharing in each other's favorite hobbies such as gardening, trout fishing and traveling.
Frank, a lifelong member of the Deer Park United Methodist Church, continued to live at their Deer Park home after her husband's death. She moved into Golden Age Manor in Amery in 1998 and remained there until her death.
Funeral services were held March 6 at Deer Park United Methodist Church.
In addition to Margaret, she is survived by another daughter, Lona, two grandsons and a great-granddaughter.
