Frances "Fran" Jean Luther

Frances J. Luther, 94, of Kasson, MN, formerly of Waukon, IA, died peacefully on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, with her loving son and daughter-in-law Dave and Brenda at her side at Prairie Meadows Senior Living in Kasson. Funeral services will be held Monday, November 7th, at 11:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon with Fr. John Moser officiating. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Waukon. Friends may greet the family from 9:30 AM until time of services at the church on Monday. Martin – Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling the arrangements.

Frances Jean (Riley) Luther, born August 4, 1928, in Fairfield, Iowa, where she grew up. She was raised in a home with two alcoholic parents and very little direction on how to successfully navigate life. Her first break in life came from a wonderful family that lived next door, who took her in and fed her body and, most importantly, her spirit as they introduced her to a lifelong love of God. Their daughter Minnie was Fran's forever best friend. Putting herself through college led to a teaching degree from Parson's College and a career in education. Soon after graduation she moved to Waukon, IA, where she taught school "forever", as she would put it.

While in Waukon, she met and married John "Chuck" Luther on June 14, 1955. Quickly thereafter, they were blessed with three boys: Bill, Tom, and Dave. Fran would be quick to say she wasn't the best mom, but her three sons would disagree. The life lessons she passed down were invaluable, and they are still trying to live them as well as she did. Throughout her teaching career, she reveled in the successes of her students in the classroom, on the sports fields, and in the arts. However, if you were that person who walked the halls alone, whose parent was suffering from illness, who was wearing the same clothes for days in a row — her heart was with you, she noticed, and she took special care to do what she could to support you.

Along with her compassion, she showed what it was like to work hard as she spent the day in the classroom, often worked or attended school functions well after the school day was over, and then came home and made sure she took care of her family. One of the quickest ways for her three boys to get in trouble was to cause her to be late for work — because it was wrong to be late for work.

She was also loyal, to her bosses (and favorite boss Cabby) and most especially to her friends. She was known for her coffee cakes and must have made hundreds of them to be delivered throughout the years. She had many friends in life who supported her when needed and who she in turn supported too, starting with Minnie, then Myrt and Carole, her most recent her partner in crime at the assisted living home Rachel, and many others along the way.

Fran wanted everyone to know she loved her family, starting with her husband Chuck, her sons and daughters-in-law: Bill and Kyong Hye from Lewisville, TX, Tom and Marcia from Scottsdale, AZ (and Rhonda, who passed away in 2003), and Dave and Brenda from Byron, MN. She also was the best grandma to Sara and Kelly, Andy and Lee, and Zac, Emily, Melissa, and Nic; and most recently her first great-grandson Rohr, who she was able to meet this past summer and whose pictures brought a smile to her face every day.

Maybe her most important gift she left behind was her faith. There was no compromise or negotiation there. No matter how hard it was, she packed up her three kids for church every Sunday and tried her best to keep them corralled for the hour-long mass. They did not know it then, but the faith they have developed in their lives has served them beyond measure. She knew recently her time was short, yet was not afraid, as her faith told her there was much beyond life here. Faithful to the end, she picked as the last song she heard her family and friends sing, "Here I Am Lord".

Having lived 94 years, Fran outlived most all of her immediate family; her parents; a brother John, who she adored; a sister Mary; her lifelong love Chuck; and daughter-in-law Rhonda. She is survived by her sister-in-law Blanche and her boys and their families.

Mom finished the race and kept the faith, and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. Rest in peace Mom, we will love you forever.

Craig(er) Larson will serve as an honorary casketbearer. Casketbearers are grandsons Andy, Zac, and Nic Luther, nephew Jay Luther, and good friends Jan Sweeney and Dan Denk.