Rachel  Frank

CLERGY
Rev. Greg Way
ACTIVE CASKETBEARERS
Stacy Frank
Kelcey Frank
Gary A. Frank
Josiah Schertel
Dawn Muelow
Jared Frank
HONORARY CASKETBEARERS
Rachel’s Grandchildren &
Great-Grandchildren
Rachel Frank was born on Monday, January 19, 1925 to Otto H. and Martha (Huber) Griess in rural Sutton, Nebraska. She attended country school through the 8th grade. On March 25, 1946, Rachel was united in marriage to Alfred E. Frank in Belleville, Kansas. Together they lived and farmed near Avon and Tripp for over 50 years. Having lived through the Dust Bowl, Great Depression, and World War II, Rachel was a strong and resilient woman. She was a hardworking farmwife and a loving mother to five children. She was a member of the Paul Grossheusch V.F.W. Post #2966 Auxiliary of Scotland and Frieden’s Reformed Church of Tripp.
Alfred and Rachel enjoyed traveling, especially when the destination was the homes of their children or dear friends. They journeyed the East Coast, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Rachel even battled her fear of mountains and heights to visit her daughter and her family in Montana. Nothing was more important to Rachel than her family.
In 1998, Alfred and Rachel retired and made their home in Yankton. She treasured her neighbors and the friendship that blossomed between them. Rachel was a woman of dignity and social grace that quickly became the neighborhood’s adoptive Grandma who was always there to offer kind advice and help. She was affectionately called “Grandma Rachel” by the neighborhood children who enjoyed their shared times of cards, crafts, games, puzzles, and the numerous goodies and treats that Rachel would bake for them. She was witty, had a good sense of humor, and quick to laugh. Rachel was a beautiful woman inside and out who was generous in hugs, love, food, and laughter.
On November 25, 2015, Rachel made the hard decision to move into the Avera-Sister James Care Center in Yankton due to her declining health. Throughout her life, Rachel loved music, yodeling, and singing. Though it was difficult in her condition, she gifted her family with a beloved memory for years to come by singing Silent Night in German on Christmas Day. At the age of 90 years, 11 months, and 8 days on Sunday, December 27, 2015, Rachel was welcomed into Heaven.
Grateful for having shared her life and love are her children: Gary (Kathy) Frank of Avon, Dennis (Janet) Frank of Des Moines, IA, Kenneth (Madge) Frank of Waterbury Center, VT, Judith (John) Mulder of New York City, NY, and Mary (Erik) Schertel of Libby, MT; grandchildren: Stacy, Kelcey, Gary A., Jared, Ryan, Jesse, Josiah, Jonathan, Cindy, Angela, Dawn, Maggie, and Rachel; twenty-nine great-grandchildren; brothers: Johnny Griess and Curt (Nadine) Griess; sisters: Elsie (Ewald) Oschner and Salome (John) Korb; and sister-in-law Frieda Nelson.
She was preceded in death by her husband Alfred in 2006, parents, great-grandchild Jayden Jager, siblings: Ephraim (Hilda) Griess, Ruth (Gideon) Redler, and Danny (Beverly) Griess, and sister-in-law Mildred Griess.