Frances I Karels

Frances Irene Karels, age 93 of Lake Crystal, died Friday, June 11, 2010 after a brief time at Oaklawn Health Care Center in Mankato. Until then, she was cared for in her home by her daughter, Doreen McGinnis.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, June 14, 2010 at First Presbyterian Church in Lake Crystal with Rev. Nancy Dreier officiating. Burial will be in Lake Crystal Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour before the service at the church on Monday. Lake Crystal Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Frances Irene Karels was born in Alcester, South Dakota on September 27, 1916 to Christian and Ethel (Friske) Huls. She had one brother, Vern. Frances was united in marriage to Ben Karels in February 1936. Her husband died in 1953, leaving her with four young children and a farm. Many people encouraged her to move to town but she decided to stay on the farm to raise her children and keep her income. She was able to stay with the help of caring neighbors like Bill Campbell, who ploughed the snow for her " mile driveway in the winter and plowed her farmland in the spring and fall so she could do the rest of the farming. Another neighbor and dear lifelong friend, Vern Jones, helped her with the farming and her children at their home and became a loved member of her family.

Frances is survived by two daughters, Judith Ann (Joel) Stussy of Summersville, MO, and Doreen (Patrick) McGinnis of Lake Crystal; seven grandchildren, Jill (Brian) Draayer, Anna (Thomas) Schuster, Amy Osborne, Alice (Mark) Ploghoft, Andrew (Charity) Osborne, Abby (Tim) McGinnis, and Adrienne Osborne, two step grandsons, Timothy and John McGinnis; seventeen great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.

Preceded in death by her husband, Ben in 1953; daughter, Marilyn Osborne in 1989; son Benard Karels in 1993; brother Vern Huls in 1988, and dear friend and companion Vern Jones in 1994. She will be missed.