George Franzen

Resided in Escanaba, MI
Died June 10, 2009

George C. Franzen, 91, passed away on June 10, 2009 at the Bishop Noa Home, where he had resided for the last year. He was born on October 31, 1917 in Wausaukee, Wisconsin, the son of George and Ethel (Swan) Franzen. He grew up in the Crivitz, Wisconsin area, where he graduated from High School in 1935. After high school,
George worked as a page for the Wisconsin State Assembly, cut timber with his father and brothers, and joined the National Youth Administration program. In 1940 he enlisted in the U. S. Army (Regular) and served with the Army Air Corps in Europe during WWII. After his discharge in 1945, he attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he received a degree in Political Science. He also studied French, journalism, physics, and astronomy. On November 30, 1946 he married Florence M. Cox, a physical education teacher from Holcombe, Wisconsin. Before deciding on a career, he worked for Oscar Meyer Packing, Wisconsin Central Airlines, and the State of Wisconsin. In 1952 he began working for the Social Security Administration, serving in various positions in Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan, including District Manager assignments in Marquette and Detroit. During his working years, he was very active in the Marquette and Detroit-East Rotary Clubs, and served terms as President at both locations. After retiring in 1977, he lived in Wisconsin, New Mexico, and Florida, before settling in the Escanaba area in 1988. He traveled extensively and especially enjoyed visiting his many friends in Malaysia in 1998. He also enjoyed auto mechanics, carpentry, reading, and growing trees.

George C. Franzen is survived by his son John (Kristine) Franzen of Bark River; Granddaughter Johanna Franzen of Ann Arbor; brother Carl (Dorothy); sister Edith Franzen; sisters-in-law Mary, Janet, and Helen Franzen; numerous nieces and nephews; and many special friends across the U.S. and in southeast Asia. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Florence in 1977, and his brothers Frederic, Albert, and William. In keeping with George

0 Tributes for “George Franzen

    When I first see George, he is behind wheel. I am very amaze, him 84 and still driving and planning to be our tour guide in LA. We had a wonderful time playing tourist. He was such a gentlemen figure, wise, joyous and full of good advice about life. My regret is that I had no time to spend more time with him to absorb more of his wisdom and laughter.
    Clare Neo
    Singapore, Sg

    My condolences…..I worked with George in Detroit for 2 or 3 years and enjoyed his friendship for many years….sorry to read of his passing

    Ed Peterson
    Athens, OH

    I have fond memories of George, who was a regular at Elmer’s Restaurant when I worked there 20 years ago. He was very special to me. In fact, he was responsible for arranging the adoption of my 1st beloved golden retriever in 1988. That was my introduction to life as a pet owner, and to this day I continue having a golden as a part of my family. I owe this to George, as he convinced me that my life would be enriched with the love of a dog. George monitored the newspaper until he found a kennel in Marquette. He layed-out the groundwork, and sent me on my way (with complete directions) to get my puppy (which I payed for in dollar bills and change from my tips–George found that hilarious).

    I recall that wonderful, full laugh George had. He was my friend, despite the 50 year difference in age. He loved to share his stories related to his travels, and I enjoyed the free spirited man that was so characteristic of George. I will think of him with warm memories and gratitude.

    Terri Dagenais
    Naples, FL

Post a Tribute

Your email address will not be published. Tributes are moderated before posted. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.