Obit: Frane, Louis W. (1880 - 1942)

Contact: Stan

Surnames: Frane, Lang, Niggeman, Firnstahl, Weix, Steinwand, Apfelbeck, Schlimm, Krepsky, Philippi, Kraus, Ruesch, Beland, Kanter, Mauer, Kamps, Miller, Behrends, Burmeister, Chase, Oestrich, Baer, Strauss, Beyerl

----Sources: Colby Phonograph (Colby, Clark County, Wis.) 09/10/1942

Frane, Louis W. (9 Jan. 1880 - 5 Sept. 1942)

Louis W. Frane, a prominent business man of Colby died suddenly at the St. Joseph’s Hospital at Marshfield Saturday evening at 9:20 o’clock, a heart attack being the cause of his departure. He had been ill one week. Funeral services were held Wednesday morning at St. Mary’s Catholic church, Rev. L. J. Lang reading the requiem high mass, and burial was made in the Colby cemetery. Pall bearers were Conrad Niggeman, I. M. Firnstahl, Dr. F. A. Weix, A. M. Steinwand, Peter Apfelbeck and John Schlimm.

Mr. Frane was born Jan. 9, 1880, in Fond du Lac county and moved with his parents a few years later to a farm in the town of Unity, Wis. In 1908 he moved to the city of Colby, where he held the position of city electrician. A few years later he entered partnership with the late Hugo Krepsky and operated the Colby Hardware store for a number of years. Then he owned and operated a vulcanizing and tire shop. About 18 years ago, he established the Star Bottling Works, which he had been managing up to the present time.

He was married on June 18, 1913, to Miss Laura Philippi at Colby, Wis. Surviving besides his widow are seven children - Margaret of Medford, Virgil of Colby, Kathleen and Mary of Chicago, Tech. Sgt. John Frane of Camp Gruber, Okla., and Betty Jean and David at home. Also one brother, Victor Frane of Colby, and two sisters, Mrs. C. J. Kraus and Mrs. William Ruesch of Colby, three grand children and his step-mother, Mrs. Emma Frane of Forest Lake, Minn.

Mr. Frane was a member of the Holy Name Society and for about the past 25 years held the office of treasurer of the Catholic Order of Foresters. He was a good Christian and of a congenial and friendly disposition which made him many friends, and, when the news of his death spread like wings over the city of Colby, it left sorrow because of his departure.

Out of town people here for the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Roy Frane and Rene and Corrine Beland of Minneapolis, Joe Kanter and Miss L. Kanter of Mosinee, Miss Kate Mauer, Mrs. Nick Mauer, Mrs. G. Kamps, Mr. and Mrs. W. Philippi, Mrs. Harold Miller, Mrs. V. Behrends and Mrs. Herbert Philippi of Appleton, Wm. Burmeister of Park Falls, Mr. and Mrs. L. Chase and family of Westboro, Mrs. M. Philippi, Mr. and Mrs. O. Chase, Mrs. Oestrich, Mrs. Peter Baer and Mr. and Mrs. Strauss of Marshfield, Miss Delores Beyerl of Chicago, Margaret Frane of Medford, Kathleen and Mary Frane of Chicago and Sgt. John Frane of Camp Gruber, Okla.