Harold Franzen

Harold Albert Franzen age 86 of Fredericksburg, IA, died Tuesday, April 23, 2019, at Linn Haven Rehab and Healthcare in New Hampton. Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 27, at Trinity Lutheran Church, New Hampton, with Rev. Kevin Frey presiding. Interment will be in the New Hampton City with his grandchildren serving as pallbearers. Friends may greet the family 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. Friday, April 26, 2019, at the Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home and Crematory in Fredericksburg. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. Harold Albert Franzen was born October 21, 1932, in rural New Hampton, IA, the son of Albert and Elsie (Parson) Franzen. He attended rural country school and as a young man was active in the 4-H programs. After working on Valentines Day, February 14, in 1957, he attended a dance in Lawler and met the love of his life, Jannette Mulling. The couple were married on November 2, that same year at Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hampton. The couple initially lived near Jerico and then south of New Hampton a couple years before moving to their current home west of Fredericksburg. Harold had worked at John Deere in the off-season during farming and also for the former BP Silo Company in New Hampton. He also worked for The Fredericksburg Produce Association, the stockyards and Cahoy Plumbing and Heating until retiring. Harold’s love for the outdoors was timeless. He learned to hunt and fish and did so until he just could no longer do it. He and Jannette are known for their huge garden and Harold loved selling the sweet corn. He enjoyed raising hogs on the farm as well. Whenever the family was together or he was with friends, you would usually find a deck of cards and maybe an Old Milwaukee or two. As his children grew, he made sure he attended nearly all the events where they participated. In his later years, he just enjoyed getting out and going for a ride, whether checking on the crops or checking up on his family. He was known most lovingly by his family as being just a ‘little stubborn’. He will be dearly missed by them all. Survivors include his wife, Jannette; three children, James (Dorreen) Franzen of Fredericksburg, Barbara (Keith) Olsen of Atlantic, IA, Robert (Becky) Franzen of West Salem, WI; grandchildren, Brett (Kerrie) Franzen, Brittany (Travis) McNeil, Brianna (Andy) Drewelow, Jared (Beth) Olsen, Jonathan (Miranda) Olsen, Alyssa Franzen (Mike), Nicole Franzen, Holly Franzen (Zach), great-grandchildren, Kensi & Calen Franzen, Keira & Jack McNeil, Kiptyn Drewelow, Madelyn & Witten Olsen, Elsie & Brady Olsen and baby McNeil on the way; sisters-in-law, Arlene (Vic) Lahr of Cudahy, WI, Geraldine Guenther of Denver, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Donna (Johnny) Nissen; brothers-in-law, Carl Mulling Jr., Dave Guenther; sisters-in-law, Gloria (Horace) Cross, LaVonne (Jim) Zimmerman.