Mary Frankberg

Mary Ellen Frankberg (aka Granny) passed away at Emmanuel Nursing Home Memory Unit – Ecumen, in Detroit Lakes, MN at the age of 92 on January 6, 2015. Funeral Services for Mary Ellen will be held Monday, January 12 at 1PM in United Methodist Church-Detroit Lakes. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to services. Born in Perham, MN to Oscar and Martha Hegge, Mary Ellen grew up in Dent, MN attending the Dent Elementary School and graduating from Perham High School in 1940. Mary Ellen spent a year at the University of Minnesota majoring in English and journalism. After her freshman year at the U of M she met and married Harold Frankberg from Fergus Falls, MN. During World War II Harold and Mary Ellen moved to Chicago, where Harold served in the Army Air Corp. Mary Ellen had a strong interest in 4-H Clubs and was a leader in the Dent area. She was instrumental in helping start a new 4-H Club in Lakeview Township when she moved with her family to rural Detroit Lakes in 1956. Even after their move to Detroit Lakes where Mary Ellen attended the Detroit Lakes United Methodist Church, she continued to be a member of the Dent United Methodist Church. Her father, Oscar, helped to dig the basement for the previous Dent church with horses and a scraper. Granny had a passion for gardening, sheep, dogs, cardinals, crossword puzzles, Canadian hunting and fishing trips and took incredible pride in her Norwegian heritage. She treasured her trip to Norway in 1975. They did not call it "stay at home Mom" in the 1940's and 1950's, but that is what Mary Ellen did. In 1962 when her son George left for college, Mary Ellen went to work at the Detroit Lakes Clinic in medical records. She spent 13 years in that job. In 1978 Mary Ellen and her daughter-in-law Margie started Mrs. McGillicuddy's Mercantile in downtown Vergas. Mary Ellen became "Mrs. McGillicuddy" through 1985 when she actually retired. During those years area children would get off the school bus and head to McGillicuddy's to tell Mary Ellen about their day. Mary Ellen received the nickname "Granny" from her son after she became a grandmother for the first time, at the age of 43. The Clampetts of The Beverly Hillbillies television program included "Granny". It was from this program that Mary Ellen's son George saddled her with the name "Granny", and it stuck for nearly 50 years. Granny was a member of the Birders Club and she always enjoyed the annual bird count at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, where her grandson Tom works. For many years Granny looked forward to ringing the bell for the Salvation Army. She had her own bell to ring; it was an old cow bell that had been worn by one of her pet cows decades ago. Her favorite givers were the little kids who dropped their coins in the red kettle. She would talk to each and every one of them. Granny was of course a fan of all activities of her grandchildren, but Detroit Lakes Laker football and basketball really hooked her in a big way. Granny rarely missed a home game and also traveled to many out of town games. Teammates of her grandsons soon picked up on the fact that Granny was a big-time Laker fan. Years later their teammates would inquire about Granny when they would encounter her grandsons. Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, husband Harold, daughter Carol Jean (at age 1 ½), infant son Oscar and daughter Mary Ann (Dale) Erickson (1942-2003). She is survived by her son George (Margie) Frankberg – Detroit Lakes MN; grandchildren Joe (Paulette) Franklin – Fargo ND, Tom Franklin – Frazee MN, Patty (Luke) Teagle – Mandan ND, LuAnn (Brock) Baker – Fargo ND, Eric (Kelsi) Frankberg – St. Louis Park MN, Michael Frankberg – Bloomington MN; and great-grandchildren: Paige & Jack Franklin, Blake & Ryan Franklin, Henry Teagle and Elin, Sonny & Cedar Baker.

Funeral Home: David Donehower Funeral Home 609 Hwy 10 East Detroit Lakes, MN US 56501

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Previous Events

Visitation
Monday, January 12, 2015
Service
Monday, January 12, 2015

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