Raymond E Frandsen

Raymond “Ray” Frandsen, 84, died June 21, 2016, at Sanford Health Sunset Drive Continuing Care Center, Mandan. Services will be held at 10:30 am Saturday, June 25, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, with Rev. Paul Schauer officiating. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Bismarck. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Friday, June 24, at Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck. Ray was born September 22, 1931, in Buffalo, SD. He was the youngest of nine children of Louis and Hazel Frandsen and the only one born in a hospital. He grew up on a ranch close to Reva, in northwestern South Dakota. He attended grade school near their farm and worked for his room and board in Reeder, ND, during his high school years. Ray earned his bachelor’s degree from Black Hills State Teachers College in Spearfish and did graduate work at several institutions including NDSU and UND, and attended summer graduate programs on National Science Foundation grants at Stanford University, Florida State U and U of Wisconsin-Madison. He continued taking courses throughout his entire teaching career. He began teaching in a country school in South Dakota, followed by several years of middle and high school teaching in Eagle Butte, SD, and Reeder and Scranton, ND, before moving to Bismarck in 1963. He was science department chairman and taught mainly physics at Bismarck High School for 29 years. He also commuted to Century High School from 1975-79, as their physics teacher. He retired in 1992. He was a member of the National Education Association, National Science Teachers Association and North Dakota Education Association. He served as President of the North Dakota Science Teacher’s Association. His teaching career spanned 42 years. He married Marlys Neugebauer in June 1965, and they celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2015. They had one son, William. In retirement, Ray and his wife enjoyed winters in Florida, sightseeing and shelling. Throughout the years, they were members of a square dance club, Spanish club and Swedish club. They enjoyed excursions to Medora, Hostfest in Minot, Folklorama in Winnipeg, as well as discovering new things to do in The Cities. Ray had many interests, including reading and carpentry, a skill he used to build two additions to his home. He and Marlys enjoyed traveling and visited all seven continents and about 75 countries. In retirement, he pursued his long-neglected hobbies and became an amateur birder, enjoying the chance to explore new territory and be outside. Ray is survived by his wife, Marlys; their son, Bill (Lisa) and grandson, Theo of Fargo; his sister, Alice Sherwood, Spearfish, SD, and brother, Bob (Margie) Frandsen, Reeder, ND. He was preceded in death by his parents, and six brothers and sisters.