Francis "Frank" X Crownhart
Francis “Frank” Xavier Crownhart, age 93 of Elmwood, died Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at the Dunn County Health Care Center in Menomonie
Frank was born on September 8, 1919 in the Town of Salem, Pierce County to parents Arthur and Mary (Riley) Crownhart, the fourth of seven children. At six weeks of age, the family moved to a farm at the top of Krammes Hill between Elmwood and Hatchville. There Frank attended Pine Cooley School, Town of Weston, Dunn County and helped on the family farm as well as worked on neighboring farms. In 1935 when Frank was 16 years of age, the family moved to a farm on County Road G west of Elmwood, where Frank farmed for the next 44 years.
Frank married Adeline Schober on June 19, 1945 at St. Henry’s Catholic Church in Eau Galle. Frank & Adeline farmed the 320-acre dairy farm on County Road G in the Towns of Spring Lake and Rock Elm, Pierce County, and raised a family of five children. Upon retirement in 1979, Frank and Adeline moved into the Village of Elmwood. Frank did spring fieldwork for area farmers for a few years and was the custodian at the Sacred Heart Church and rectory for 25 years, also handling lawn care and snow removal. In addition, he worked part-time for Rhiel’s Funeral Service for 18 years. He was a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where he and Adeline attended daily mass and Frank served as an usher.
Frank is survived by his wife of 67 years, Adeline; sons David of Denver, Colorado and Daniel of Patzcuaro, Mexico; daughters Kathleen (David) Krings of Lakeville, MN and Jean (Dick) Zeithaml of the Town of Tainter, Dunn County; grandson Jacob (Mandi) Krings of Maple Grove, MN; granddaughter Jenna Krings of Minnetonka, MN; great-grandchildren Mason and Paige Krings of Maple Grove, MN.; sisters-in-law Virginia Schober of Menomonie and Veronica Schober of Woodbury, MN; many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Mary Crownhart; two brothers, Philip (Lucille) Crownhart and Robert (Ginger) Crownhart; four sisters, Catherine (Boots) Plon, Agnes (Vernon) Rhiel, Marian (Ralph) Rhiel, and Dorothy (Charles) Disse; and four brothers-in-law, Kenneth, Bernard, James (Ingrid), and Adrian Schober.