Obit: Frantz, George F. (? - 1972)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Frantz, Lynch, West, Roethe, Hetland, Everson

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 7/13/1972

Frantz, George F. (? - 3 July 1972)

George F. Frantz, 80, prominent Fennimore citizen for a half century, died there Monday, July 3, of an apparent heart attack. Mr. Frantz, who was born in Neillsville, was the brother of the late Robert and Ben Frantz.

Mr. Frantz graduated in 1917 from the University of Notre Dame law school. After being admitted to the Wisconsin Bar he practiced in Lancaster for a short time before setting up a law office in Fennimore in 1922.

He served in the army during World War I, was a 50-year member and past commander of the Whitish-Funk American Legion post, a commander of the Grant County council, and held a number of other Legion offices.

A former Fennimore mayor and city attorney, he had been a director of the board of the First State Bank in Fennimore for many years and at the time of his death was vice president, a position he had held for several years.

Mr. Frantz served as both county and juvenile judge for a long period until his retirement because of age. Prior to this time on the bench, he had been district attorney of Grant County for several years. He was a member of the Grant County Bar Association throughout his long tenure as a practicing attorney and held many offices in the organization; Judge Frantz turned his law practice in Fennimore over to his nephew, Atty. Conrad J. Frantz, when he began serving on the bench.

He was a member of the Fennimore Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star chapter. A charter member and past president of the Fennimore Kiwanis club, Mr. Frantz was also a past district governor of Kiwanis International.

His marriage to the former Evelyn Lynch, who survives, took place in 1918. Other survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Charles (Jean) West of Valhasse, N. J. and Mrs. Paul (Dorothy) Phillips of La Crosse; a son, Dr. Richard Frantz of Waukesha; two sisters, Mrs. E. J. Roethe of Fennimore and Mrs. V. Al. Hetland of Jefferson; and 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon, July 5, from the united Methodist Church of Fennimore with the Rev. Christ Everson officiating. Burial was in the Prairie Cemetery. Graveside rites were conducted by the American Legion. The Volkmann Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.