William Lee Franzen - December 2, 1930 - April 2, 2023 (92)

William (Bill) Franzen of Chesterfield, Missouri passed on to Jesus, his Savior, April 2, 2023 at the age of 92.Bill was the beloved husband of the late Eleanora (Elly) Schwahn Franzen; proud father of Paula (Brad Sterner), William Jr. (Bill), Gregory (Greg), and Laura; and dear grandfather of Hanna, Christopher, Maggie, and Lillie Franzen, and Max, George, Albert, and Sarah Sterner. He was preceded in death by parents, Lawrence and Mae Franzen; sisters, Lona Bauer, Margaret Hanish, Dorothy Schiro, and Kaye Gruszecki, and brother, Donald; brothers-in-law Stanley Hanish, Anthony Schiro, and William Gruszecki, and sister-in-law MaryJane Franzen. He is survived by his children, grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Bill graduated from St. John's Cathedral High School (1948) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he was a 'star' football player and was awarded a college football scholarship. He earned a teaching degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and became an English Teacher in the Glendale School District, where he met Elly, the lovely Music Teacher, his bride. Bill later earned his masters and doctorate degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he excelled to the top in his field and later received further research training during a Postdoctoral Fellowship at New York University. He then served as a College of Education Professor and Assistant Dean at the University of Toledo. Within a few years he earned the position of Dean of the College of Education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and was, at that time, the youngest Dean in the country, where he enjoyed a successful career.

Bill lived a very active and purposeful life. He served his country as a member of the U.S. Army during the Korean war and later in intelligence work. He served his local community as a committed school board member for two terms with the Parkway School District and one term with the St. Louis County Special School District. He served his family as a committed husband and father, being involved with the lives of his children, including caring for his son, Greg, for over twenty-five years following his spinal cord injury.

He was a committed member of Incarnate Word Church, to which Elly and he would attend weekly services, their children in tow. As a lover of classical music, he was a decades-long member of the choir. And as one who enjoyed social gatherings, he was a leader of the men's club. Bill and Elly resided in their Chesterfield home for fifty years, creating many memories which are now held by their survivors. There was, indeed, no place like home to Bill.

Bill enjoyed reading, grilling, visiting with family, and tending his figurative back 40, his lawn and his vegetable garden. In the Summertime, he enjoyed taking his family on vacation back to Wisconsin, his old stomping grounds, where he was in his earlier years a water skier and snow skier, competitive swimmer, and champion boxer and speed skater. As one not lacking in charisma, he was known to be the life of the party with his storied joke-telling and playful entertainment. He was voted as "best dressed man" on campus, often being seen wearing his signature bow tie. After his retirement, he looked forward to going out monthly with the ROMEOs, Retired Old Men Eating Out, his former colleagues. He will be greatly missed by many.

Visitation is scheduled for 11:00 a.m., with a funeral mass following at 12:00 noon on April 21, 2023 at Incarnate Word Church – 13416 Olive Blvd., Chesterfield, MO 63017. Entombment Bellerive Gardens Mausoleum.