Posted: 11/5/03

Franzenís life marked by love for teaching

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Retirement for some teachers means a fast exit from the classroom. For some teachers, they are never seen again.

Not Allen Franzen. Franzen retired from his high school Spanish job after 33 years in ISD 831. But Franzen, who died at his home in Forest Lake from natural causes last week, never rode off into the sunset never to be seen again.

In the four years since his retirement, Franzen was a frequent and invaluable substitute who filled in at the secondary and elementary levels.

Even in retirement, Franzen quickly learned that he missed education, the kids and the interaction that was so important in his life, said his friend of 35 years Patricia Steichen.

Franzen had subbed recently in Steichenís Grade 6 class at Linwood Elementary School. ìHeíd tell everyone how hard it was to teach at the elementary level,î Steichen recalled her friend saying.

Franzen ended his 33-year teaching career in 1999 but quickly went back to work full-time when a Spanish teacher under contract left the high school for another job just days before school was to open. He worked most of that year as a long-term substitute and continued to fill in wherever needed the past several years.

Steichen became fast friends with Franzen when she started her teaching career here in 1969. He was from Chisholm and she was from Hibbing and the Iron Range bond helped cement the friendship.

ìHe had always wanted to teach,î Steichen said of her friend. Once he retired, Steichen said she believed her friend quickly missed the contacts that had been so important in his life.

He built strong relationships with many of his former students who were counted as friends today, Steichen said.

Loved to learn

Franzenís life was marked by a thirst for learning, friends said.

In recent years, Franzen had purchased a pontoon boat which was docked on his Clear Lake home. He also had taken up other hobbies like skating and bike riding, Steichen said.

ìHe was willing to try anything,î she said.

Steichen said her friend was a private man who liked to keep personal matters to himself, but would open up in social situations. He loved attending school, education and church meetings and functions, she said.

ìHe led a somewhat secretive life,î she said. Franzen was always reluctant to give his age perhaps because he was concerned about an age difference he may have had with friends, she said.

As a young boy, Franzen lived in Monroe Location, a mining community near Chisholm. The Franzen family moved to Chisholm when he was a young boy.

He graduated from Chisholm High School in 1959. He went on to earn a two-year degree from Hibbing Community College and earned Spanish and Social Studies teaching degrees at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and Duluth.

He later earned an LLD from William Mitchell College of Law.

Prior to starting his teaching career in 1966, he worked at Dunn and Bradstreet in Minneapolis for a time, Steichen recalled.

During his teaching career in Forest Lake, he was active on a professional level with the Forest Lake Education Association. He is a past president of the teachersí union.

Funeral details

A funeral service was Saturday, Nov. 1 at Faith Lutheran Church, 886 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake. Interment was at Chisholm Cemetery, Chisholm.

He is survived by his sister, Connie Tyler, Chisholm; brother Timothy (Fatima) Franzen, Bloomington; nieces Kim and Tracy and nephew Patrick; numerous grandnephews and grandnieces and many colleagues and friends in education and the community.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Evald and Irene Franzen, and one brother, Robert. More information may be found at www.cherished1.com/allen.

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