Deanne Frarck

Deanne Olson was born

July 8, 1938 in Williston,

ND, to Harris and Julia

Olson. During her child-

hood, the family moved to

Wildrose, ND, where she

graduated from High

School. Deanne went on

to attend Concordia Col-

lege in Moorhead, MN,

and graduated with a

Bachelor of Arts in Physi-

cal Education and a minor

in Biology. She continued

her education at Colorado

State in Boulder, CO,

gaining a Master degree in

Physical Education.

Deanne’s teaching

career began at a private

school in Oregon and then

continued at Mayville

State College in Mayville,

ND, and then Concordia

College in Moorhead. Her

close friends at Concordia

and Boulder called her

Annie. She loved Colora-

do and the time she spent

“out west” – exploring

new places, skiing in the

mountains, and traveling

with friends.

Deanne was united in

marriage to Bob Frarck on

May 20, 1967, at Grace

Lutheran Church in Wil-

drose, ND. They engaged

in dairy farming for 30

years on Bob’s home farm

near Barrett, MN. Togeth-

er, they raised three

daughters: Lisa, Julie, and

Jessie.

Deanne never stopped

teaching. After their mar-

riage, she taught at

University of MN, Morris,

and substituted for all the

area public schools. When

the girls were older, she

became the Director of the

ECFE program at Herman

High School, and held

that role for 12 years.

Even in her last weeks,

Deanne was interested

and offered to help teach

exercise activities.

After they retired from

farming, Deanne and Bob

had more time to visit

friends, family, and

grandchildren. They also

enjoyed special trips to

see the covered bridges in

Iowa, Banff and Calgary,

and overseas travel to Ice-

land, England, Scotland,

Ireland, the Normandy

beaches in France, and

the Keukenhof gardens in

the Netherlands.

Deanne had a heart to

serve others and always

made everyone that knew

her feel special. She was

active at Peace Lutheran

Church in Barrett. She

was a strong and per-

sistent advocate of 4-H

and ensured her

daughters participated.

She had many gifts which

she shared with her fami-

ly and friends, including

sewing, quilting, em-

broidering, hardanger,

knitting, crocheting, gar-

dening, cooking, and bak-

ing.

She never forgot her

North Dakota roots and

visited friends, family,

and acquaintances every

time she got a chance to

go home.

Deanne had a deep

respect for her Norwegian

heritage. Her ancestors

traveled through Douglas

County, MN, on their way

to settle in North Dakota.

Part of the family stayed

and are buried at West

Moe Cemetery. Deanne

could speak some

Norwegian, learned dur-

ing her childhood. She

enjoyed making Norwegi-

an Sot Supp (sweet soup),

rommegrot, and was

known for her Norwegian

Kransekake (wedding

cakes), which she made

for her daughters’ and

many family and friends’

weddings.

Deanne passed away on

Thursday, February 13,

2020, at the age of 81.

Deanne was preceded in

death by her parents,

Harris and Julia. She is

survived by her devoted

husband of 52 years, Bob;

her brother, Gerald (Mari-

an) Olson; daughters: Lisa

(Paul) Tickhill, Julie

(Mike) McFarlane, and

Jessie Mickelson; nine

grandchildren: Lisa’s girls

– Chloe and Taylor;

Julie’s children – Trevor,

Tyler, Kaylah, and Willi-

am; Jess’s boys – Justin,

Brandt, and Blake; and

many beloved nieces and

nephews, grand nieces

and nephews, great grand-

nieces and one great

grandnephew.

A funeral service will

be held at 10:30 AM Sa-

turday, February 22, 2020,

at the First Lutheran

Church in Alexandria. A

visitation will be from 4-7

PM Friday at Anderson

Funeral Home in Alexan-

dria and also one hour

prior to the service at

church. Interment will

follow in Union Cemetery

at Barrett, MN. Arrange-

ments are with the Ander-

son Funeral Home and

Crematory in Alexandria.