Frances (Fran) Leona Meyer Wolfenden (nee Elliott), age 87, passed away unexpectedly on August 1 at St. Clare’s Hospital in Weston, Wisconsin.
She was born on March 20, 1928 in Milwaukee to Grace MacDonald and John Russell Elliott.
Fran grew up on a farm outside Birnamwood, Wisconsin and graduated from Birnamwood High School at age 17 in 1945. After high school she worked in the office at Pennington Lumber Company, where her love of accounting was born.
She married Edward H Meyer in 1947. Fran and Ed moved frequently in the early years of their marriage, following Ed’s work as a lineman for C.A. Hooper Co. They settled in La Crosse in 1960, where Fran was a stay at home mom.
Fran graduated with an Associate Degree in Accounting from Western Wisconsin Technical Institute in 1969. Fran and Ed lived in La Crosse until 1972, when they built a house just outside of Antigo. Fran moved back to La Crosse after Ed’s death in 1978 and worked for a local accounting firm. In the fall of 1983, Fran moved to Reno, Nevada, where she worked at the CPA firm of Horning, Holmberg & Co. until her retirement in 1994. While in Reno, she married her second husband Jim Wolfenden. Once retired, she and Jim moved to Grand Junction, CO, where they lived until 2007, when she came back to Wisconsin after Jim’s death.
Fran loved to travel, especially in the West. She also enjoyed reading, crocheting, and knitting. Sewing was her favorite activity and she was an accomplished seamstress and quilter. She loved to play Dominoes with friends and Free Cell on the computer.
While in Grand Junction, Fran ran a successful home-based accounting business and was an active member at Koinonia Church. She had many lifelong friends and enjoyed sending cards and letters throughout the year.
Fran is survived by her daughter Susan Meyer (Denis Munsche), son David Meyer (Lynda); granddaughters Kristy Schoon (Chris Hudziak), Kimberly (Richard) Kiefer, and Kerri (Douglas) Schleif, great-grandchildren Conner Schoon, Corey Schoon, Zachary Kiefer, Hailey Kiefer, Bridget Kiefer, Cory Hudziak, and Cameron Hudziak; sisters-in-law Wilma Meyer and Dixie Meyer; nieces and nephews; close friends.
Fran was preceded in death by her parents, sister Donna Jean Bauch, husbands Edward H. Meyer and Jim A. Wolfenden and brothers-in-law Ervin Meyer and Rudy Meyer.
A memorial service will be held at Shuda Funeral Chapel, 3200 Stanley Street, Stevens Point on August 15 at 11:00 am. Her family will be greeting relatives and friends from 9:00-11:00. Her children, David and Susan will scatter Fran’s ashes in her beloved Colorado at a later date.
Condolences can be left on Fran Wolfenden’s online guest book at www.shudafuneral.com
