The second child (of six) and eldest daughter of Milton and Neoda (Gross) Cooper. She was born at home in the 1840 historic Cheney-Faulkner-Cooper home at 5810 S. Racine Avenue in New Berlin, WI. Frances was named after her maternal grandmother, Frances Gross, who died in Aug. 1931.
Frances attended a one-room schoolhouse through the elementary grades and then attended Waukesha High School through the eleventh grade until June 1949.
She was raised in the Lutheran religion.
On October 8, 1949, at age 17, she married Robert H. Schrank (b. Feb. 1928) at St. Gerard Church in Milwaukee. She converted from Lutheran to Catholicism; her husband's religion. They raised a large family. Ten children were born (8 girls and 2 boys) between April 1950 and Nov 1969. Their second son, Lawrence, was born premature on July 30, 1958 and did not survive.
In June 1964 the Schrank family moved to a large two-story house at 4636 W. Racine Ave. in New Berlin.
After 20 years of marriage, Robert Schrank died in Dec 1969 of brain cancer at age 41; a month after their last child (Roberta) was born. In Jan. 1970, Fran became a grandmother (the first of many).
Frances married again on July 29, 1978 at age 46 to Ronald G. Wettengel (b. Oct. 1938) at the Chapel of the Bells in Milwaukee. It was also his second marriage.
In April 1981, Aunt Fran & Uncle Ron and the three youngest childen, moved to Eagle River, WI, where Fran & Ron operated the Forest Lane store. The family moved once more, in April 1984, to Three Lakes, WI and lived in a beautiful home at 6700 Drury Lane Loop near the north woods. Ron Wettengel worked as a cranberry harvester and a mechanic.
More family tragedy was suffered with the suicide death of daughter Darlene in Dec. 1985 and the homicide death of grandson Christopher in March 1990 at age 18.
In May 1998 Fran Wettengel was diagnosed with the rare condition "scleroderma" which affects many organs in the body and causes a slow deterioraton of health. There is no cure.
Fran became a widow a second time with the death of husband Ron Wettengel in March 2001. Then her closest sibling, Millie (my mother), died of cancer in Dec. 2004. Another heart-breaking tragedy ocurred in Nov. 2007 with the car accident death in Oregon of her granddaughter Abigale at age 12.
In 2007 Aunt Fran moved to Jefferson, WI and she worked as a Greeter at the Walmart there. She happily lived independantly in her Jefferson home until her health deteriorated in about Dec. 2011 requiring her to live with alternating daughters for care.
Aunt Fran's interests included gardening, nature, lighthouses, sewing, cooking, and Bible study. She also enjoyed genealogy and was a member of the New Berlin Historical Society in the 1970's. She was also a member of the Three Lakes Garden Club and Great Lakes Lightkeepers Assn (GLLKA). She held many jobs including housekeeping for clients and food caterer. She so often had a big, radiant smile on her face. Of course, she was also an active wife, mother and grandmother during her life.
She found Heavenly peace just four days after her 81st birthday at her daughter's home in Pewaukee. Aunt Fran was ready to go to her Lord Savior and to be rejoined with her loved ones that passed away before her. Despite many hardships endured, Frances had an abundantly blessed life with a very large, loving family.
She is survived by her eight children; Mary (Peppy) Butterfield, Kathy Tovar, Alan (Kathy) Schrank, Sandy Schrank, Christine Ramos, Jeanine (Randy) Ascher, Jayme (Jesus) Rodriguez and Roberta "Robbie" Thomson. Also by 18 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. Quite a remarkable legacy! Further survived by her brothers Herbert, Ronald and Glenn (Karen) Cooper and sister Nancy (Curt) Johnstone, and many nieces and nephews. She also was survived by her two stepdaughters, Barbara Lakkard and Peggy Ramm and sisters-in-laws Shirley Young, Catherine Zollner and Flora Brown.
Services were held on March 15, 2013 at 7:00pm at Krause Funeral Home in New Berlin. Frances was buried at Sunnyside Cemetery on Racine Ave. in New Berlin--not far from her childhood home--on Saturday, March 16, 2013.
NOTE: her grave marker is engraved with the name "Schrank" rather than "Wettengel."
Fran was my godmother and my favorite aunt. She was a very special woman to all the people whose life she touched. She will always be missed and never forgotten.
Frances attended a one-room schoolhouse through the elementary grades and then attended Waukesha High School through the eleventh grade until June 1949.
She was raised in the Lutheran religion.
On October 8, 1949, at age 17, she married Robert H. Schrank (b. Feb. 1928) at St. Gerard Church in Milwaukee. She converted from Lutheran to Catholicism; her husband's religion. They raised a large family. Ten children were born (8 girls and 2 boys) between April 1950 and Nov 1969. Their second son, Lawrence, was born premature on July 30, 1958 and did not survive.
In June 1964 the Schrank family moved to a large two-story house at 4636 W. Racine Ave. in New Berlin.
After 20 years of marriage, Robert Schrank died in Dec 1969 of brain cancer at age 41; a month after their last child (Roberta) was born. In Jan. 1970, Fran became a grandmother (the first of many).
Frances married again on July 29, 1978 at age 46 to Ronald G. Wettengel (b. Oct. 1938) at the Chapel of the Bells in Milwaukee. It was also his second marriage.
In April 1981, Aunt Fran & Uncle Ron and the three youngest childen, moved to Eagle River, WI, where Fran & Ron operated the Forest Lane store. The family moved once more, in April 1984, to Three Lakes, WI and lived in a beautiful home at 6700 Drury Lane Loop near the north woods. Ron Wettengel worked as a cranberry harvester and a mechanic.
More family tragedy was suffered with the suicide death of daughter Darlene in Dec. 1985 and the homicide death of grandson Christopher in March 1990 at age 18.
In May 1998 Fran Wettengel was diagnosed with the rare condition "scleroderma" which affects many organs in the body and causes a slow deterioraton of health. There is no cure.
Fran became a widow a second time with the death of husband Ron Wettengel in March 2001. Then her closest sibling, Millie (my mother), died of cancer in Dec. 2004. Another heart-breaking tragedy ocurred in Nov. 2007 with the car accident death in Oregon of her granddaughter Abigale at age 12.
In 2007 Aunt Fran moved to Jefferson, WI and she worked as a Greeter at the Walmart there. She happily lived independantly in her Jefferson home until her health deteriorated in about Dec. 2011 requiring her to live with alternating daughters for care.
Aunt Fran's interests included gardening, nature, lighthouses, sewing, cooking, and Bible study. She also enjoyed genealogy and was a member of the New Berlin Historical Society in the 1970's. She was also a member of the Three Lakes Garden Club and Great Lakes Lightkeepers Assn (GLLKA). She held many jobs including housekeeping for clients and food caterer. She so often had a big, radiant smile on her face. Of course, she was also an active wife, mother and grandmother during her life.
She found Heavenly peace just four days after her 81st birthday at her daughter's home in Pewaukee. Aunt Fran was ready to go to her Lord Savior and to be rejoined with her loved ones that passed away before her. Despite many hardships endured, Frances had an abundantly blessed life with a very large, loving family.
She is survived by her eight children; Mary (Peppy) Butterfield, Kathy Tovar, Alan (Kathy) Schrank, Sandy Schrank, Christine Ramos, Jeanine (Randy) Ascher, Jayme (Jesus) Rodriguez and Roberta "Robbie" Thomson. Also by 18 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. Quite a remarkable legacy! Further survived by her brothers Herbert, Ronald and Glenn (Karen) Cooper and sister Nancy (Curt) Johnstone, and many nieces and nephews. She also was survived by her two stepdaughters, Barbara Lakkard and Peggy Ramm and sisters-in-laws Shirley Young, Catherine Zollner and Flora Brown.
Services were held on March 15, 2013 at 7:00pm at Krause Funeral Home in New Berlin. Frances was buried at Sunnyside Cemetery on Racine Ave. in New Berlin--not far from her childhood home--on Saturday, March 16, 2013.
NOTE: her grave marker is engraved with the name "Schrank" rather than "Wettengel."
Fran was my godmother and my favorite aunt. She was a very special woman to all the people whose life she touched. She will always be missed and never forgotten.
The second child (of six) and eldest daughter of Milton and Neoda (Gross) Cooper. She was born at home in the 1840 historic Cheney-Faulkner-Cooper home at 5810 S. Racine Avenue in New Berlin, WI. Frances was named after her maternal grandmother, Frances Gross, who died in Aug. 1931.
Frances attended a one-room schoolhouse through the elementary grades and then attended Waukesha High School through the eleventh grade until June 1949.
She was raised in the Lutheran religion.
On October 8, 1949, at age 17, she married Robert H. Schrank (b. Feb. 1928) at St. Gerard Church in Milwaukee. She converted from Lutheran to Catholicism; her husband's religion. They raised a large family. Ten children were born (8 girls and 2 boys) between April 1950 and Nov 1969. Their second son, Lawrence, was born premature on July 30, 1958 and did not survive.
In June 1964 the Schrank family moved to a large two-story house at 4636 W. Racine Ave. in New Berlin.
After 20 years of marriage, Robert Schrank died in Dec 1969 of brain cancer at age 41; a month after their last child (Roberta) was born. In Jan. 1970, Fran became a grandmother (the first of many).
Frances married again on July 29, 1978 at age 46 to Ronald G. Wettengel (b. Oct. 1938) at the Chapel of the Bells in Milwaukee. It was also his second marriage.
In April 1981, Aunt Fran & Uncle Ron and the three youngest childen, moved to Eagle River, WI, where Fran & Ron operated the Forest Lane store. The family moved once more, in April 1984, to Three Lakes, WI and lived in a beautiful home at 6700 Drury Lane Loop near the north woods. Ron Wettengel worked as a cranberry harvester and a mechanic.
More family tragedy was suffered with the suicide death of daughter Darlene in Dec. 1985 and the homicide death of grandson Christopher in March 1990 at age 18.
In May 1998 Fran Wettengel was diagnosed with the rare condition "scleroderma" which affects many organs in the body and causes a slow deterioraton of health. There is no cure.
Fran became a widow a second time with the death of husband Ron Wettengel in March 2001. Then her closest sibling, Millie (my mother), died of cancer in Dec. 2004. Another heart-breaking tragedy ocurred in Nov. 2007 with the car accident death in Oregon of her granddaughter Abigale at age 12.
In 2007 Aunt Fran moved to Jefferson, WI and she worked as a Greeter at the Walmart there. She happily lived independantly in her Jefferson home until her health deteriorated in about Dec. 2011 requiring her to live with alternating daughters for care.
Aunt Fran's interests included gardening, nature, lighthouses, sewing, cooking, and Bible study. She also enjoyed genealogy and was a member of the New Berlin Historical Society in the 1970's. She was also a member of the Three Lakes Garden Club and Great Lakes Lightkeepers Assn (GLLKA). She held many jobs including housekeeping for clients and food caterer. She so often had a big, radiant smile on her face. Of course, she was also an active wife, mother and grandmother during her life.
She found Heavenly peace just four days after her 81st birthday at her daughter's home in Pewaukee. Aunt Fran was ready to go to her Lord Savior and to be rejoined with her loved ones that passed away before her. Despite many hardships endured, Frances had an abundantly blessed life with a very large, loving family.
She is survived by her eight children; Mary (Peppy) Butterfield, Kathy Tovar, Alan (Kathy) Schrank, Sandy Schrank, Christine Ramos, Jeanine (Randy) Ascher, Jayme (Jesus) Rodriguez and Roberta "Robbie" Thomson. Also by 18 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. Quite a remarkable legacy! Further survived by her brothers Herbert, Ronald and Glenn (Karen) Cooper and sister Nancy (Curt) Johnstone, and many nieces and nephews. She also was survived by her two stepdaughters, Barbara Lakkard and Peggy Ramm and sisters-in-laws Shirley Young, Catherine Zollner and Flora Brown.
Services were held on March 15, 2013 at 7:00pm at Krause Funeral Home in New Berlin. Frances was buried at Sunnyside Cemetery on Racine Ave. in New Berlin--not far from her childhood home--on Saturday, March 16, 2013.
NOTE: her grave marker is engraved with the name "Schrank" rather than "Wettengel."
Fran was my godmother and my favorite aunt. She was a very special woman to all the people whose life she touched. She will always be missed and never forgotten.
Frances attended a one-room schoolhouse through the elementary grades and then attended Waukesha High School through the eleventh grade until June 1949.
She was raised in the Lutheran religion.
On October 8, 1949, at age 17, she married Robert H. Schrank (b. Feb. 1928) at St. Gerard Church in Milwaukee. She converted from Lutheran to Catholicism; her husband's religion. They raised a large family. Ten children were born (8 girls and 2 boys) between April 1950 and Nov 1969. Their second son, Lawrence, was born premature on July 30, 1958 and did not survive.
In June 1964 the Schrank family moved to a large two-story house at 4636 W. Racine Ave. in New Berlin.
After 20 years of marriage, Robert Schrank died in Dec 1969 of brain cancer at age 41; a month after their last child (Roberta) was born. In Jan. 1970, Fran became a grandmother (the first of many).
Frances married again on July 29, 1978 at age 46 to Ronald G. Wettengel (b. Oct. 1938) at the Chapel of the Bells in Milwaukee. It was also his second marriage.
In April 1981, Aunt Fran & Uncle Ron and the three youngest childen, moved to Eagle River, WI, where Fran & Ron operated the Forest Lane store. The family moved once more, in April 1984, to Three Lakes, WI and lived in a beautiful home at 6700 Drury Lane Loop near the north woods. Ron Wettengel worked as a cranberry harvester and a mechanic.
More family tragedy was suffered with the suicide death of daughter Darlene in Dec. 1985 and the homicide death of grandson Christopher in March 1990 at age 18.
In May 1998 Fran Wettengel was diagnosed with the rare condition "scleroderma" which affects many organs in the body and causes a slow deterioraton of health. There is no cure.
Fran became a widow a second time with the death of husband Ron Wettengel in March 2001. Then her closest sibling, Millie (my mother), died of cancer in Dec. 2004. Another heart-breaking tragedy ocurred in Nov. 2007 with the car accident death in Oregon of her granddaughter Abigale at age 12.
In 2007 Aunt Fran moved to Jefferson, WI and she worked as a Greeter at the Walmart there. She happily lived independantly in her Jefferson home until her health deteriorated in about Dec. 2011 requiring her to live with alternating daughters for care.
Aunt Fran's interests included gardening, nature, lighthouses, sewing, cooking, and Bible study. She also enjoyed genealogy and was a member of the New Berlin Historical Society in the 1970's. She was also a member of the Three Lakes Garden Club and Great Lakes Lightkeepers Assn (GLLKA). She held many jobs including housekeeping for clients and food caterer. She so often had a big, radiant smile on her face. Of course, she was also an active wife, mother and grandmother during her life.
She found Heavenly peace just four days after her 81st birthday at her daughter's home in Pewaukee. Aunt Fran was ready to go to her Lord Savior and to be rejoined with her loved ones that passed away before her. Despite many hardships endured, Frances had an abundantly blessed life with a very large, loving family.
She is survived by her eight children; Mary (Peppy) Butterfield, Kathy Tovar, Alan (Kathy) Schrank, Sandy Schrank, Christine Ramos, Jeanine (Randy) Ascher, Jayme (Jesus) Rodriguez and Roberta "Robbie" Thomson. Also by 18 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren. Quite a remarkable legacy! Further survived by her brothers Herbert, Ronald and Glenn (Karen) Cooper and sister Nancy (Curt) Johnstone, and many nieces and nephews. She also was survived by her two stepdaughters, Barbara Lakkard and Peggy Ramm and sisters-in-laws Shirley Young, Catherine Zollner and Flora Brown.
Services were held on March 15, 2013 at 7:00pm at Krause Funeral Home in New Berlin. Frances was buried at Sunnyside Cemetery on Racine Ave. in New Berlin--not far from her childhood home--on Saturday, March 16, 2013.
NOTE: her grave marker is engraved with the name "Schrank" rather than "Wettengel."
Fran was my godmother and my favorite aunt. She was a very special woman to all the people whose life she touched. She will always be missed and never forgotten.
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See more Schrank Wettengel or Cooper memorials in:
- Sunnyside Cemetery Schrank Wettengel or Cooper
- New Berlin Schrank Wettengel or Cooper
- Waukesha County Schrank Wettengel or Cooper
- Wisconsin Schrank Wettengel or Cooper
- USA Schrank Wettengel or Cooper
- Find a Grave Schrank Wettengel or Cooper
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