Frances M. “Fran” Monroe, age 92 of Albany, formerly of Melrose, died peacefully surrounded by her family on Sunday, May 8, 2016, at her daughter’s home in Albany.
A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 12 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albany with Rev. Steven Olson officiating. Interment was in Oak Hill Cemetery in Melrose following the lunch.
Frances Marie Arvig was born Aug. 4, 1923, in Pine River, Minn., to Thomas and Mildred (Oliver) Arvig. She started working at the age of 15 as a switchboard operator for her family’s business, Melrose Telephone Company. Fran graduated from Sauk Centre High School in 1941. She went to California and worked at a telephone company there for a few years following her graduation. She was united in marriage to Charles Monroe at Royal Arvig’s home in Wadena, Minn. The couple raised their family in Melrose. Fran continued her work as President of the Melrose Telephone Company until her retirement in 2005 at the age of 82.
She was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albany, the Schanhaar-Otte VFW Post 7050 Auxiliary, and the Oak Hill Cemetery board. Fran enjoyed community concerts and was on the Centre Area Concert Association. She also enjoyed playing piano and the organ, and loved Rita and Kevin’s dog, Lyla.
Survivors include her children, Carol Gilbert of White Bear Lake, Mark (Mary) Monroe of Melrose, Rita (Kevin) Dorman of Albany, and Maynard (Sue) Monroe of Melrose; grandchildren, Brian (Sarah) Dukek, Sara (Eric) Stanslaski, Krista (LeRoy) Dehnke, Gregory Monroe, Lisa (Christopher) Atkinson, Melissa (Matt) Crea, Majul (Barry) Dagestad, Jessica (Christopher) Engelhart, Josh Monroe, Stacy Monroe, and Carly Monroe; great-grandchildren, Ambrose, Bjorn, and Vera Dukek, Kelsey, Caden, and Noah Stanslaski, Forrest and Zander Dehnke, Natalie Rose Monroe, Miles and Oliver Atkinson, Megan Dagestad, and Ellie Crea.
Fran was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Monroe in 1981; sons-in-law, Gary Dukek and Louie Gilbert; granddaughter-in-law, Betty Monroe; brothers, Leonard Arvig, Royal Arvig, Carroll “Buck” Arvig, and Millard Arvig; and sister, Lorna Clark.
Serving as casket bearers were Brian Dukek, Gregory Monroe, Josh Monroe, Eric Stanslaski, LeRoy Dehnke, Christopher Atkinson, Barry Dagestad and Christopher Engelhart.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Albany Hospice, Disabled Veterans of America, or the Melrose Food Shelf.
Arrangements were made with Patton-Schad Funeral & Cremation Services of Melrose.