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Gregory Eugene Franken

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Birth	:	7 Jun 1947 Sioux Center, Sioux County, Iowa, USA
Death	:	18 Oct 2017 Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, USA
Burial	:	Memory Gardens Sioux Center Cemetery, Sioux Center, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate	:	43.0680000, -96.1720000
Description	:	Gregory Eugene Franken of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was a steadfast husband, father, and grandfather. He built a wonderful life for his family and created lasting friendships. Greg passed away from cancer on October 18, 2017, with his family by his side. He was 70 years old. Born June 7, 1947, in Sioux Center, Iowa, Greg was the oldest of four siblings and had a large extended family. He often helped out at relatives' farms and businesses, was a lifeguard at the local swimming hole, and even made time to get his pilot's license. He was known for his dry humor, a... Read More	Gregory Eugene Franken of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was a steadfast husband, father, and grandfather. He built a wonderful life for his family and created lasting friendships. Greg passed away from cancer on October 18, 2017, with his family by his side. He was 70 years old. Born June 7, 1947, in Sioux Center, Iowa, Greg was the oldest of four siblings and had a large extended family. He often helped out at relatives' farms and businesses, was a lifeguard at the local swimming hole, and even made time to get his pilot's license. He was known for his dry humor, a trademark throughout his life. Because he was soft-spoken, he would often catch people off guard with his jokes. At Sioux Center High School, Greg lettered in basketball, football, and track and field, where he set school records in the 440-yard dash. His junior year, Greg caught the eye of the new girl in school, a senior named Judy Vander Ploeg, whom he would marry on September 1, 1970. Greg received an athletic scholarship to Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, and graduated in 1969 with a BS in Biology. He had an interest in entomology and over the years assembled an impressive insect collection that he later donated to the college. After college, Greg and Judy moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. Greg spent his career at State Farm Insurance, starting as an underwriter in 1969 and retiring as a manager in 2006. He was deployed on "storm duty" several times, and he was proud to assist communities across the country in recovering from natural disasters. Greg was a creative father who enjoyed being outside with his two daughters and teaching them about the natural world. Franken family hikes were notorious among friends for their frequent stops as Greg gave nature lessons to the girls (something he had recently begun to do with his young grandchildren as well). The Franken family moved to Sun Prairie, Wisconsin in 1986. Greg was always active, playing volleyball at Prairie Athletic Club, running, and especially biking. Greg participated in long-distance rides--such as RAGBRAI and GRABAAWR--as well as shorter rides and casual biking. In January 2016, he biked around Cuba with friends. In addition to biking, Greg enjoyed photography, making rustic wood furniture, discovering new things about the world, beachcombing in Florida, and driving his Corvette. He and Judy were longtime members of the Mad City Vettes club. In retirement, Greg and Judy took road trips all over the country to visit national parks. One of their favorite adventures was hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon to camp overnight. Greg lives on in the hearts of daughters, Kimberly (Thad Standley) Franken Standley of Bloomington, Minnesota and Jessica (Niko Tomlinson) Franken of Minneapolis, Minnesota; grandchildren Catherine and Gregory Standley; and siblings, Yvonne (Tom) Molinari of Ventura, California, Evan (Chris Carpenter) Franken of Carpinteria, California, and Mona (Mark) Waldrep of Pacific Palisades, California. He was preceded in death by his wife, Judith Kay (Vander Ploeg) Franken and his parents Everett G. Franken and Nelvina (Kleinhesselink) Franken. A memorial service will be held at Sun Prairie United Methodist Church, 702 North Street in Sun Prairie, on Sunday, October 29, at 3 p.m., officiated by Reverend Jenny Arneson. There will be a time to gather from 1 to 3 p.m. Greg will be buried alongside his lifelong love, Judy, in a private ceremony at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center, Iowa. The family suggests gifts in Greg's name be made to the Ice Age Trail Alliance (iceagetrail.org) or Olbrich Botanical Gardens (olbrich.org). Cress Funeral & Cremation Services

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Gregory Eugene Franken's memorial?
Gregory Eugene Franken's memorial is located at: Memory Gardens Sioux Center Cemetery, Sioux Center, Sioux County, USA.
When did Gregory Eugene Franken death?
Gregory Eugene Franken death on 18 Oct 2017 in Sun Prairie, Dane County, Wisconsin, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Gregory Eugene Franken's memorial?
Latitude: 43.0680000
Longitude: -96.1720000

Family Members:

Parent

Everett Gerrit Franken

(1915 - 1994)

Nelvina Kleinhesselink Franken

(1914 - 2012)

Spouse

Judith Kay Vander Ploeg Franken

(1946 - 2016)

Siblings

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Memory Gardens Sioux Center Cemetery
Sioux Center, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0680000, -96.1720000

2. Carmel Reformed Church Cemetery
Carmel, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.1280000, -96.2295000

3. Middleburg Cemetery
Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.1102982, -96.0772018

4. Peace Lutheran Cemetery
Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0989494, -96.2924118

5. West Lawn Cemetery
Orange City, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0110970, -96.0653000

6. Sherman Township Cemetery
Maurice, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9667015, -96.1444016

7. Saint Marys Cemetery
Maurice, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9594002, -96.1769028

8. Saint John Lutheran Cemetery
Ireton, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9585991, -96.2550201

9. Hope Cemetery
Hull, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.1939011, -96.1483002

10. Saint Joseph Cemetery
Hull, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.1916080, -96.1273510

11. Highland Cemetery
Highland Park, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0546989, -96.3510971

12. Lincoln Township Cemetery
Lincoln Township, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2000008, -96.1669006

13. Nassau Township Cemetery
Alton, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9832993, -96.0318985

14. Saint Marys Cemetery
Alton, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9902992, -96.0160980

15. Lebanon Christian Church Cemetery
Sioux Center, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0996700, -96.3578300

16. Newkirk Cemetery
Newkirk, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0661011, -95.9781036

17. Pleasant Hill Cemetery
Ireton, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9681015, -96.3143997

18. Saint Mary's Cemetery
Rock Valley, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.1864014, -96.2878036

19. Valley View Cemetery
Rock Valley, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.1866989, -96.2953033

20. Saint Paul Lutheran Cemetery
Hull, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2282000, -96.0985000

21. Saint Joseph Cemetery
Struble, Plymouth County, USA
Coordinate: 42.8953018, -96.2005997

22. Sheridan Township Cemetery
Boyden, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.2047005, -96.0208969

23. Hospers Cemetery
Hospers, Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 43.0732994, -95.9197006

24. Union Hill German Baptist Cemetery
Sioux County, USA
Coordinate: 42.9169006, -96.3324966