Frances A "Fritzie Furlong
Frances A. “Fritzie” Furlong age 95 of Menomonie,
Died: Friday June 11, 2010 at the American Lutheran Home in Menomonie.
Frances “Fritzie” was born April 28, 1915 to Ignace & Veronica Schwartz in Rockland, MI, Ontanogan County, in the upper peninsula of Michigan. At the age of five the family moved to Keewatin, MN on the Iron Range. Fritzie graduated from RL Downing High School in Keewatin and was employed as a secretary in the high school principal’s office from 1933-1939.
Fritzie was married to John Furlong of Bovey, MN at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Keewatin on May 19, 1939. They raised their four children on a lake home south of Marble, MN. From 1953-1957 the family lived in Minneapolis where Dr. Furlong earned his B.S., Master’s & Ph.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota. During this time Fritzie was employed as an administrative secretary at the University St. Paul campus.
In 1957, the family moved back to their lake home when Dr. Furlong became superintendent of schools in the Greenway School District, Coleraine, MN. In 1963, John and Fritzie move to Menomonie where Dr. Furlong served as Assistant to the Chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Stout until his retirement in 1985. Fritzie was very active in the early Red Cross blood drives, delivered meals on wheels, served as secretary & publicity chairman, historian, worked in the gift shop and sewed with the Lady Bugs sewing group for 20 years, all with the Myrtle Werth Hospital Auxiliary. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Alter Society, Menomonie Chapter of the Women of the Moose, Menomonie Historical Society, Menomonie Public Library Foundation, VFW Auxiliary of Pengilly, MN, the Sloevian Women’s’ Union of Hibbing, MN, the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation, the Pipestone MN Historical Society, Menomonie Area Community Foundation, Menomonie Community Health Foundation and the University of Wisconsin-Stout Foundation.
Fritzie is survived by her husband, John at the American Lutheran Home, Menomonie; two daughters, Kathy (Floyd) Turnquist of San Francisco, CA; Marijean (Emery) Davis of Grand Rapids, MN; son-in-law, Dave Christensen of Pipestone, MN; on sister, Kathryn Costello of Shakopee, MN; grandchildren, Debbie (Lonnie) Jensen of Brainerd, MN; Denise Cleveland of Anoka, MN; Eric Christensen of Huntinton Beach, CA: Cathy (Randy) Scheid of West Palm Beach, FL; Mary (Dan) Texidor of Philadelphia, PA; Karen Christensen of Minneapolis, MN; great grandchildren, Joshua & Staci Cleveland; Stephanie & David Jensen; Veronica Scheid & great-great grandson, Skyler Jensen
She is preceded in death by her parents, her twin son & daughter, John M. Furlong Jr. and Joan Christensen, two sisters and two brothers.