Obituary for Frances Grenz Schick

Frances Grenz Schick, 85, Eureka, SD, died Sunday, August 28, 2011 at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen, SD. Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M., Friday, September 2, 2011 at First Baptist Church, Eureka, with Pastor Darwin Stahl leading the service. Burial follows at the Eureka Cemetery. Organist will be Esther Grosz and congregational songs will be “Abide With Me” and “In the Sweet By and By”. Matt Ecker will sing “If You Could See Me Now” and Frances’s grandchildren will sing “Amazing Grace”. Ushers will be Theophil Dohn and Wallace Kusler.

Visitation will be at Lien-Straub Funeral Chapel, Eureka, from 5:00-9:00 PM Thursday and resumes at the church 10:00 AM Friday.

Frances Priscilla Jenner, daughter of Anna (Bertsch) and Fred Jenner, was born at her family’s farm 11 miles SW of Ashley, ND in McPherson Co. on May 5, 1926. Her formal education consisted of Petersburg Country School, Ashley High School (Class of 1944), and Northern State Teacher’s College where she earned her Teaching Certificate. She then taught in several schools in the Artas, SD area. Frances married Ervin Grenz on June 2, 1946 at the First Baptist Church in Ashley. They made their home on the Grenz family farm, ten miles west of Eureka, taking over the farm from Ervin's parents, Emil and Emma (Knoepfle) Grenz. In addition to their farming operation, in 1966 Ervin and Frances built the Lakeview Motel in Eureka and later purchased the Mehlhaff Apartments, operating both until 1976. Ervin died unexpectedly on April 10, 1976. Frances then built a home in Eureka. On June 4, 1983, Frances married Milbert W. Schick at Eureka. Frances continued living in Eureka the remainder of her life. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church where she taught Sunday school, was in Lydia Circle and WMF, and sang in the choir. She also belonged to the Eureka Hospital Auxiliary and belonged to the Hobby Extension Club. She enjoyed traveling, playing bridge and gardening. She was known for being an outstanding cook, and gladly shared her expertise with her daughters, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters, who hope to someday be as good a cook as she. Frances will be remembered for keeping in close touch with her grandchildren no matter where they were.

She is survived by Milbert, her husband of 28 years; one son Gregory (Patricia) Grenz of Eureka; two daughters-Josephine Sandmeier of Savage, MN and Michelle (Robert) O’Neil of Mesa, AZ; two Stepdaughters—Paula (Tom) Weidemann and Christy Olson both of Rochester, MN; two sisters-LaVerne Diede and ElVera Richardson both of Jamestown, ND; 10 Grandchildren—Melissa (Richard) Student, Jessica (Todd Gumm) Sandmeier, MD, Christopher (Karyn) Grenz, Elizabeth (Matt) Ecker, Emily Grenz, Kaitlin O’Neil, Alexis O’Neil, J.P. (Signe) Schumacher, Lauren Olson, and Reid Olson; and six Great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father in January 1952, her mother on September 26, 1982, her first husband (Ervin), and one brother (Vernon Jenner).

Casketbearers will be Paul Olsen of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Bob Olsen of Maple Plain, MN, Mark Diede of Buchanan, ND, David Jenner of Ashley, J.P. Schumacher of Sioux Falls, SD, and Christopher Grenz of Pine Island, MN.