Franz, Ella Elizabeth (1910-2005)

Newton Kansan obituary: 2005 Nov 15 p. 2

Birth date: 1910 Feb 17

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2005 Dec 5 p. 8

text of obituary:

ELLA FRANZ

Ella Elizabeth Franz, 95, of Hesston, Kan., died Nov. 13, 2005. She was born Feb. 17, 1910, to John Janzen Franz and Elizabeth Ediger Franz on a farm near Buhler.

She was baptized on May 10, 1921, at the Mennonite Brethren Church in Hillsboro.

She attended grade school in Hillsboro and continued third grade when the family moved back to Chicago. She graduated from Waller High School at age 16, then entered the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, graduating in 1934 with a bachelor of music degree with a major in piano. She studied toward a master's degree at Kansas University, Iowa State University and Eastman School of Music in New York. She studied organ at Friends University in Wichita.

She began her teaching career at Tabor College in Hillsboro in piano and music theory. Between 1934 and 1950 she taught mostly at the college level, with two years in public schools. From 1950-51, she volunteered with Mennonite Central Committee, teaching English and piano in a mission Mexican school. Until 1968, she taught piano lessons privately in Wichita and served as church secretary at Sunnyside Baptist Church and later at Gideon Baptist Church. She was organist for Sunnyside Baptist Church and Old Manor Baptist Church.

In 1968, she moved to McPherson and became the organist at First Baptist Church and library clerk at McPherson College. She also led handbell ringers' groups. She organized the libraries of First Baptist Church, MCDS and the McPherson Licensed Practical Nursing School.

She and her sister Esther retired to Schowalter Villa, in Hesston, in 1994. They lived in an independent living duplex until June 2005, when health problems necessitated a move to health care for her.

She was a member of the Piano Teachers League, the American Guild of Organists and the American guild of English Hand Bell Ringers.

Survivors include two sisters, Esther Franz and Margaret Franz Kroeker, both of Hesston.

Services were held at Schowalter Villa Chapel in Hesston.