Kathryn Beatrice Francis

Mass of Christian burial for Kathryn Beatrice Francis, 89, of Aberdeen, will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 19, 2016, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 409 3rd Ave SE, Aberdeen, with Father Mark Lichter as Celebrant.

Burial will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Aberdeen.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the Mass at church on Saturday.

She said, "I just want to sleep and sleep like Rip Van Winkle." And so she did. Kathryn Francis died peacefully Sunday evening at Avera Mother Joseph Manor.

Kathryn was born June 17, 1926 on the family farm near Onaka, SD to Walter and Lena (Hoffert) Waldman. She attended elementary school in a country school near Onaka, and graduated from Onaka High School in 1945. She often told us she had wanted to be a nurse since she was a young girl, so immediately after graduation she moved to Aberdeen where she was accepted into the Cadet Nursing program at Presentation College and graduated in 1948. She met Dwayne "Dode" Francis while a student and married July 24, 1948 in Aberdeen then moved to Kansas City, MO for two years where Dode went to school. They returned to Aberdeen to be near family and raise their girls.

Kathryn worked as a registered nurse at St. Luke's Hospital in Aberdeen and as school nurse for Aberdeen Public Schools until 1971. She and her husband moved to Big Stone City where they lived 25 years on the lake enjoying fishing and having family and friends visit. Kathryn was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Dode passed away in 1997 and Kathryn returned to Aberdeen in 2001.

Kathryn loved the years they spent living in Big Stone City, and made many friends there. She was an avid reader, enjoyed sewing, entertaining and being entertained. She and her husband spent many hours on the lake fishing and many Saturday nights dancing. Kathryn had a special knack for meeting people and getting to know all about them in less than ten minutes. There were very few people she couldn't talk to.

She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Altar Society.

Kathryn is survived by her three daughters, Mary Gaines (Ron Rhodehamel), Salem, OR, Rita (Mike) Lewis, Fruitland, ID, Diane Francis (Jim Gatzke), Aberdeen. Grandchildren Misty (Greg) White, Katie (Raul) Porter, and Travis (Rechelle) Lewis; her great grandchildren, Sidni and Jorden Wolery, Kyliee, Jasmine and Raul Porter and Hunter Lewis and her cat, Lucy.

Kathryn is preceded in passing by her parents, husband, sisters, Theresa Cunningham, Emma Roesch and brother Joseph Waldman.

We, the family, would like to express our sincere thank you to the people of Nano Nagel Village and Avera Mother Joseph Manor for their compassion and friendship to our mother and her family.

In lieu of flowers, Kathryn would be touched by a donation to the Aberdeen Area Humane Society.

Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.