Francis Elmer Maassen was born on December 12, 1919 to Julieus and Sena (Andersen) Maassen on the family's farm south of Avoca, Iowa. He was one of eleven children in the family. He attended country school and AvoHa High School.
Francis met Ione Andersen and the couple married on February 9, 1944 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. They had three children. They started farming in the Avoca area until 1958 when they moved to a farm north of Walnut. Francis farmed all his life and he was always interested in crop yield and prices.
He enjoyed Walnut's sports, especially Walnut baseball. He was a big Lone Ranger and Roy Roger Western movie watcher, a family history expert when it came to who owned what land and how many acres they owned and he always showed fairness towards his children.
The couple retired in 1982, at which time they moved to Peace Haven Retirement Home in Walnut. Francis continued to help farm and he remained a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca.
Ione died on May 18, 1992. In 2005, Francis joined the Avoca Nursing and Rehab Center and this is where he died on Friday, March 16, 2012 having attained the age of ninety-two years, three months and four days. He was preceded in death by his wife Ione, an infant son, his parents, and siblings: Orpha, Howard, Gerald, Walter, Ralph, Dale, John and Curtis.
He is survived by his daughters, Mary and her husband Bob Ferguson of Circle Pines, Minnesota and Peggy and her husband Jeff Fell of Walnut, Iowa; five grandchildren; eight great grandchildren; brother Willis Maassen and his wife Betty of Avoca, Iowa; sister Joan Andersen of Atlantic, Iowa; sisters-in-law Jeanette Maassen of Council Bluffs, Iowa and Helen Andersen of Avoca; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Wayne Paulsen officiated the 10:30 am funeral service at Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca, Iowa on Monday, March 19, 2012. Burial was held at the Graceland Cemetery in Avoca with Robert Andersen, Teddy Andersen, Alan Maassen, Roger Maassen, Paul Maassen and Dale Maassen serving as casket bearers.