Frances Estelle Hitz
Frances Estelle Hitz, 95, left this world on October 18, 2012, at her home on the family farm near Bremen, ND.
- Frances Estelle Hitz
Frances Estelle Hitz
Frances Estelle Hitz, 95, left this world on October 18, 2012, at her home on the family farm near Bremen, ND.
Frances was born November 2, 1916, to William and Frances (Dusek) Hartl, the seventh of eight children, and grew up on the family farm in Bremen Township, Wells County, ND. She attended Bremen country grade school and graduated high school at New Rockford Central in 1934. Frances worked one year after high school before attending Valley City State Teachers College and graduated with a teacher’s certificate in 1937. After college, Frances taught at Bremen, Germantown, and New Rockford Consolidated schools.
In the spring of 1944, she enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, one of the first women to serve in the Marines. She was stationed at Eagle Mountain Lake, TX, then at Camp Pendleton, CA where she served as head librarian and motion picture technician until her honorable discharge at the end of the war. She was always very proud of her service to her country as a United States Marine.
On August 23, 1943, she married her hometown sweetheart, Frank J. Hitz in Pomona, CA, where Frank was stationed with the U.S. Army before going overseas to the European Theatre.
In 1945, they returned to the Hitz farm at Bremen to begin farming and raising their nine children and a grandson, Jason LaFontaine. They also took in a foster child, John Cavalier, for two years.
Frances was active in her parish, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at Bremen, where she was Choir Director for many years and active in her Church Circle group.
She enjoyed gardening, reading, spirited discussions on almost any topic, and traveling. One of the highlights of her travel experience was a trip back to her native land of Czechoslovakia with her daughter and brother in 1989, where she reconnected with family and family history and where she enjoyed conversing in her first language, Czech.
Ultimately, though, her most important purpose in life was her family’s well-being and fulfillment.
She is survived by six daughters, Melanie (Joe) Darville, Freeport, Bahamas, Gail Marie, Rogers, MN, Dianne Goebel, New Rockford, ND, Miriam (Marvin) Aardahl, Saugas, CA, Agnes (Vern) Olson, Fargo, ND and Jeanine Irmen, Galt, CA; two sons, John (Sharlena) Hitz, New Rockford, ND and Billy Hitz, Plymouth, MN; 8 grandchildren; 2 step-grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Frances was preceded in death by her husband Frank of 47 years; a daughter, Francine LaFontaine; her parents; 3 brothers, Edmund, Albert and William; 4 sisters, Henrietta Toay, Agnes Hartl, Georgie Walters, Hermina Lies; and a great-grandson, Lane LaFontaine. Semper Fi
Visitation: Monday 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM and Tuesday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, in Evans Funeral Home, New Rockford, ND.
Prayer Service: Tuesday at 7:00 PM, in St. John’s Catholic Church, New Rockford, ND.
Funeral: St. John’s Catholic Church, New Rockford, ND, Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Interment: St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Cemetery, Bremen, ND.
On-line condolences may be sent at www.EvansFuneralHomeND.com
Tags: obituaries
Comments posted on this page do not reflect opinions of Forum Communications Company. Forum Communications Company does not endorse and is not responsible for any statement, opinion, advice given or made. All replies are subject to approval and must follow Forum Communications Company guidelines concerning statements of libel, personal attacks or defamation of character. Replies in the "Talk About It" section that criticize a person by name may not be posted, unless that person is openly involved in a public issue. Comments written in all capital letters or bold print will not be considered for inclusion in the forum.
RSS Feeds