Archie P. Franz

Funeral Services for Mr. Archie P. Franz, 88, Corn resident will be held 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, January 21, 2014 in the Corn Mennonite Brethren Church and services will be officiated by Rev. Tim Sandy and burial will follow in the Corn Cemetery under the direction of the Kiesau-Lee Funeral Home. Archie Pete Franz was born February 17, 1925 to Henry P. Franz and Lizzie (Remple) Franz in Medora, KS and passed away Saturday January 18, 2014 in Corn Heritage Village in Corn, OK. Mr. Franz started his young life in Kansas and at about the age of two his family moved to Corn, Oklahoma. They moved to Corn in a covered wagon and the trip took approximately two weeks. He started his schooling at the Pleasant View School. When he was to attend the 8th grade the family moved to Colony where he attended the Pioneer School for an about a half year and then transferred to Corn Public Schools. While attending high school he was active in basketball and achieved high honors and he graduated in 1943. He married his high school sweetheart, Genevieve Sallaska on May 3, 1946. They made their home in Corn where he became an outstanding farmer/rancher and in his younger years he supplemented his income by refereeing basketball games. Mrs. Franz preceded him in death in 1974 and he later married Joan Schmidt on May 23, 1974 and they continued to live in Corn where he continued to farm and ranch. He was able to farm until his retirement in 2004 at age 84. He has been a faithful and active member of several church congregations, some of which he helped get organized and started; most recently he was a member of the Corn Mennonite Brethren Church, where he has served in many capacities; he has enjoyed traveling, bike riding, playing dominoes, and jigsaw puzzles. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife, granddaughter, Kandice Kliewer, a sister, Esther Heinrichs, and three brothers, Milton Franz, Albert Franz and Homer Franz. He is survived by his wife, of the home, Joan, daughters, Rita Williams and husband, Randy, of Liberal, KS, Lori Kliewer and husband, John, of Weatherford, OK and sons, Tim Franz and wife, Susie, and Phil Schmidt and wife Danielle, all of Weatherford, Richard Schmidt and wife Jeannie of Lincoln Nebraska, and Russell Schmidt and wife, Da, of Chinghai, Thailand. He is also survived by 22 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.