Hilda Fransen

Hilda Virginia (Dietz) Fransen was born March 20, 1930, at home in Milo Township of Mille Lacs County (rural Milaca) to Henry and Gertrude (Schmitt) Dietz. She attended Hillcrest 29 North Country School in which she walked daily up hill approximately a mile to and from. There she was a well known ball player. She graduated from Milaca High School in 1948. She married her first love, Lorin Fransen on September 11, 1949 at St Paul’s Lutheran Church in Milaca. They lived in Milaca for five years, then purchased the dairy farm eight miles south east of Milaca in 1955. Hilda soon started working at the First National Bank of Milaca as a teller and auditor, retiring in 1992 (45 years).

They were blessed with five children, David Lorin, Barbara Jean, Susan Marie, and twins Carol Ann, and Connie Lynn. She was blessed with 66 years of marriage. Hilda loved to cook and bake, and was known for her spaghetti, potato salad, fresh baked bun/sweet rolls, and ginger snaps. She was an avid flower gardener and loved her begonias. She also loved music as she was a wonderful pianist/organist. She had a lifelong faith, including St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Emanuel Lutheran Church and Gethsemane Lutheran Church. She so loved her family!!! A long life, well-lived. She died peacefully with her family at the bedside on May 17, 2025.

HiIda is survived by her children, David (Wendy) Fransen, Reverend Barbara Peterson, Susan Swanson, Carol (Myron) Mollet, and Connie (Steve) Jacobson; brother, Robert Dietz; grandchildren, Lisa (Dennis) DeMars, Michael (Jennifer) Nelson, Katrina (Donny) Peschl, Breck (Tonya) Swanson, Mark (Melissa) Fransen, Kate (Tami) Redding, Peter Swanson, Andrea (Eric) Huss, Julie (Jim) Flom, Jessie (Dylan) Debel , Kristine (Andrew) Van Driel, Andrew Piatt, Kirk (Samantha) Mollet, Alex Peterson, and Kendra (David) Mollet; great-grandchildren, Christian, Spencer (Kaylin), Alyssa (Ben), Caleb, Elijah, Gwyneth, Madison, Laken, Lindy, Landry, Leddi, Robert, Loryn, Jackson, Darryn, Bentley, Lilly, and Owen. Hilda was preceded in death by her husband, Lorin (2015); her parents; brothers, Henry and Helmut Dietz; son-in-law, Robert Piatt, and grandson, Brannon Swanson.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 11 AM at Glendorado Lutheran Church. Interment will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery. Visitation will take place from 4 - 7 PM Monday at Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca and continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday.