Joyce's Obituary
Joyce Marie (Knaup) Frantzich passed away on February 6, 2023, unexpectedly and on her own terms, at the age of 87. She was known for her strong will and independent spirit until the very end, refusing her medications, calling every doctor she encountered a quack, and fiercely upholding her DNR. For the last decade she had commonly used the excuse “I am going to die soon anyway” as justification to never get new dentures. It is hard to believe her day has come.
Joyce entered this world on October 17, 1935, at the cost of an undetermined amount of butchered turkeys, to Henry and Sadie (Kessner) Knaup of Sand Coulee. Joyce was the oldest child of the family, leading the way for her siblings Dick and Judy. In the 1950s, she met the love of her life, Charles Frantzich, who lived on the farm next door. They married in October of 1954 and ventured off to Germany for his service in the Army where they welcomed the first of their 4 sons, Alan. Beside Charles, Joyce’s next true love was Montana. It was here that they completed their family by welcoming Ron, Mark, and Kelly. She often spoke fondly of her time on the farm, tending to horses, cattle, lambs, and creatures of all sorts. At the sunset of her life she has become a cat whisperer to the many stray cats that wandered down the coulee. Her dog Gidgit never knew the taste of dog food, Joyce was always fixing her plate alongside the rest of us.
Joyce shared her father, Henry’s sense of adventure spending summer days walking the coulee or camping with her grandchildren, sending them out to the yard on water witching endeavors, and waking early to see what wildlife was canvasing the coulee walls. She never had time for monotony. She shared her mother, Sadie’s ability to love and care deeply, and always made sure everyone was well fed, especially with fried chicken and her famous scalloped potatoes. Joyce was a talented artist. As an oil and watercolor painter, she could easily be coaxed into any craft. She was a gifted gardener as she could grow tomatoes like nobody's business, even in her death she is keeping us all well fed. She was a talented seamstress, making countless matching dresses for her granddaughters, multiple Halloween costumes, and took every opportunity to embroider anything. She was the true epitome of a Montanan woman, through and through.
Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Sadie; brother-in-law, Rick Brandenberg; and many extended family members and beloved friends.
She is survived by her siblings, Dick Knaup of Sand Coulee and Judy Brandenberg of Parker, CO; sons, Alan (Dana) Frantzich of Keller, TX, Ronald (Tami) Frantzich of Athol, ID, Mark Frantzich of Lewistown, and Kelly (Amy) Frantzich of Great Falls; grandchildren, Sheena (Jess) Weade of Washington Courthouse, OH, Ryan (Erin) Frantzich of Fort Worth, TX, Kara (Rich) Frantzich of Beacon, NY, Jessie (Beth) Frantzich of Charlotte, NC, Sadie Frantzich of Athol, ID, Kenna Frantzich of Athol, ID, Loni Frantzich of Billings, MT, and Korena Frantzich of Butte, MT; and last, her littlest joys, her great-grandchildren, Carter, Keaton, Lexi, Hannah, and Leo.
Joyce will be missed by all that knew her, especially as wife, sister, Mom, and Grandma, her beloved geriatric pup, Gidget, all stray cats in the coulee, and the Pepsi Cola Company.
A celebration of life is planned for July 2023. Grandma, we hope you are dancing and humming along up there to the “Big Joe Polka Show” in the sky.
