Frances M. Fleckenstein

It is with deep sadness that our family is saying good-bye to our mother, grandma and great -grandma. Frances passed away on Tuesday June 18th, 2024. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00AM, Monday, June 24 at Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary, 825 E. Broadway Ave, Bismarck.

Visitation will be held from 1:00PM to 3:00PM, with a rosary/vigil service starting at 3:00PM at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck. Visitation will continue one hour before Mass.

Burial will be held at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.

Frances (Schweitzer) Fleckenstein was born on December 3, 1925 to Sebastian & Johanna (Vogel) Schweitzer, she was the 9th child of 11 children growing up in a very loving and close-knit family. Frances, like many others at that time went to school until the 8th grade, she was known for her beautiful penmanship along with her love for English and math. 

Frances married Phillip on October 5th, 1948 at St Martin’s Catholic Church south of Dodge, ND. She was a member of the Ladies Alter Society Church Group at St. Martin’s, along with enjoying many friendships. They lived on a farm south of Dodge where they raised six kids. She kept busy helping with farm chores in their early years of marriage, canning, raising chickens, and baking. She loved, making German food such as noodla, kuchen, chocolate and caramel rolls, creamed chicken, and homemade spaghetti sauce. Everything was the best of the best! 

In 1977, Frances moved to Bismarck where she bought a small place that she made into a home. She loved visitors, and always had the coffee pot on and fresh baked goodies. She played a lot of Yahtzee, cards and gardening. She grew beautiful flowers. 

Frances started employment at Bismarck Hospital now Sanford in 1978, in environmental services, she worked at the college of nursing for the next 17 years, retiring in 1995. During that time, she was honored as employee of the month. Our family is so grateful to the college of nursing staff that she worked with for the continued friendships. 

Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary was very important to Frances, she was a devote catholic, with special devotion to the blessed mother, saying her daily devotions and rosary. She was a member of St. Jude’s Mission Group where she volunteered many hours. 

Fast forward to 2011- Frances had to give up her home where her family gathered every Sunday for visits. She moved to The Terrace, where she was welcomed and was still able to have her family in every Sunday. She loved living there, but due to declining health she moved to the Baptist Health and Rehab Center in 2022, where she soon became comfortable and started a love-hate relationship with the game of Bingo! She hated to lose and was a very poor loser, she was not ashamed to admit it. She also was quite honest and to the point, you had to be careful what you asked her, and take her opinions with a grain-of-salt. 

Frances is survived by her six children, David (Angie) Fleckenstein, Dennis (Renae) Fleckenstein, Donna (Bob) Shelton, Robert (Loretta) Fleckenstein, Patrick Fleckenstein, and Richard (Lee Ann) Fleckenstein; her 18 grandkids; 40 great-grandkids and one great-great grandson. Frances also has step-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews: no one was a stranger to her, she loved people. Friends she cherished were Mary and Tracy Leetun of Colorado; her cousins, Ken & Marlene Wright of MN, and her friend Margaret Ternes. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Jacob, Anton, Adam, Joseph, John and Peter; her four sisters, Sister Rose, Sister Delora, Sister Francis, & Sister Ella, all nuns of the Benedictine Order; her great-grandson, Hunter Seifert, grand-daughter-in-law, Jessica Fleckenstein & nephew Philip Schweitzer, also preceded her in death. 

Special thank-you to The Terrace and Baptist HRC, for the outstanding care, you are so appreciated. 

Memorials may be directed for Mass intentions, or to the Terrace at 901 E Bowen Ave or Baptist Health and Rehab, 3400 Nebraska Dr.

We will miss you Mom, we love you, rest in peace.