Frances Jane Clark

Frances Jane Clark, 92, of Plymouth, IA, died Sunday, April 3, 2016, at Manly Specialty Care in Manly, IA. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Friday, April 8, 2016 at the Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania Avenue, interment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 until 7:00 PM Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials May be directed to the Frances J. Clark Memorial Fund in care of the family.

Frances was born on April 29, 1923 in Rose Creek, Minnesota to Chester and Ida (May) Schossler. Her family moved to Otranto, Iowa. She graduated from Otranto School, then enrolled in Hamilton College in Mason City, and graduated from the secretarial program. She worked in Mason City for KGLO Radio and Standard Oil for many years. Frances was introduced to her future husband, Harold, by his sister who worked with Frances at KGLO. Harold was returning from serving in the Navy in World War II. This introduction led to a courtship and marriage.

Harold and Frances were married on November 7, 1946 in Clear Lake. They farmed near Rockwell the first year of their marriage and then moved to the Plymouth area where they farmed for the next fifty eight years. Frances was a member of the First Methodist Church in Plymouth and served on many committees, was the church treasurer for several years, and helped with countless special events at the church.

Mom was truly a homemaker and farmer’s wife. She enjoyed and excelled at gardening, canning and freezing, sewing, raising chickens, and taking care of her family. During the first years of her marriage she worked alongside Dad with the harvesting and farm work. After her children were grown she worked at Plymouth Elementary School and Farmers State Bank in Plymouth.

Frances is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Harold Clark, her sister Betty Priem, brothers-in-law Milburn Priem, Morris Clark and wife Barbara, Robert Clark, sisters-in-law Marjory Toppin and husband Paul, Maxine Bacon and husband Lewis, Phyllis Shimek, and Erma Lou Smith. She is survived by her three children Linda (Robert) Fruland of Minneapolis, Dave (Kay) Clark of Plymouth, and Dan (Vicki) Clark of Plymouth. Frances loved and was very proud of her five grandchildren who also survive her: Ben (Traci) Fruland of Blaine, Minnesota, Alan (Seon) Fruland of Plymouth, Minnesota, Bryan (Malorie) Clark of Mason City, Amber Clark of Iowa City, and T. J. (Leah) Clark of Iowa City. She was also blessed by the presence of eight great-grandchildren: Phoenix and Isabella Clark (who named her “Big Grandma”), Jack and Sam Fruland, Zac and Addison Fruland, and Ellie and Emriana Clark.

The family would like to thank North Iowa Hospice and Manly Specialty Care for their compassionate care over the past eight months and The Homestead Assisted Living for the two years prior.