Michael Wayne Franken

Michael Wayne Franken, 43, passed away on August 28th at Sanford Hospital after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Mike was born February 2, 1969 to Wayne and MaryAnn Franken and grew up on a farm north of Crooks. He graduated from Tri-Valley High School, went on to graduate from Northwestern College in Orange City, IA where he received a bachelor’s degree in education. After graduation, he was privileged to teach second grade and coach wrestling and football for West Central School in Hartford for seven years. While teaching, he attended SDSU in Brookings part time where he earned a master’s degree in Education Administration. He used that degree as the education administrator for two years at the VA Hospital in Sioux Falls. Mike then went to work for Scheels All Sports for almost 11 years where he found that his passion for education, sports and hunting could be used together to help customers and work beside some wonderful people. He stopped working at Scheels in April of 2011 shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Mike married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Joan (Joani) Schaefer, on August 24, 1991. They made their home in Hartford where they were blessed with two beautiful children; daughter Lauren (14) and son John (12). Mike was an avid sportsmen and hunter and enjoyed hunting with family and many friends. He was a Steeler’s fan and enjoyed getting together with other members of Steeler Nation. Mike was a Christian and shared his faith in Christ with everyone through witnessing, his actions and his love for his family and friends. He will be greatly missed by everyone that knew him.

Grateful and blessed for having shared his life are his wife Joan, daughter Lauren and son John all of Hartford, mother MaryAnn and special friend Mark Entenman and his son Travis all of Sioux Falls, brother Matt and his wife MaryAnn and their children Holden, Grant and Kayli of Firth, NE, brother Marty and his wife Jaime of Sioux Falls, grandmother Fannie Swier of Colton, nephew Tyler Schmidt of Madison, and the family dog, a chocolate lab May along with many other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his father Wayne, grandfather, John Swier, grandparents Allen and Susan Franken and two trusty black labs Kate and Meg.

Memorials may be directed to the Sanford Cancer Center, where Dr. Keppen, the nurses and staff, showed compassion and through their God given talents and through Christ, helped extend the time Mike had with family and friends. We will be forever grateful.

Funeral service will begin at 10:00 AM Friday, August 31, 2012 at Christ Lutheran Church, Hartford. Visitation will begin at 5:00 PM with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM on Thursday all at the church. Burial will be in the Pleasant View Cemetery, Valley Springs.