Frances Heinze

Frances Heinze, 79, Steele, North Dakota, died February 9, 2010, at the Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center, Bismarck. ND. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, in Bismarck, with the Rev. Jerome Hunkler officiating. Burial will be in the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery, Mandan, ND. There will be no visitation as cremation has taken place. Frances was born February 18, 1930, at Napoleon, ND, the daughter of John and Johanna Bitz Rohrich. She was raised and attended school in Napoleon, moved to Steele in the mid 1940s and graduated from Steele High School in 1948. As a young adult, Frances relocated to Atlantic, Iowa, where she was employed as a telephone operator for many years at the Atlantic Telephone Company. While in Atlantic, she met Franklin E. Nielsen and they were married at SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church in 1955. Three sons were eventually born to this union. In 1961, Frances, Franklin and her eldest son, Thomas, moved to Omaha, Nebraska. Frances continued to be a homemaker in Omaha until the summer of 1972 when she relocated to Bellflower, CA, where she managed an apartment complex. Frances married Donald Heinze in June of 1990 in California and moved back to Steele where they made their home. Frances enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and although frequently separated by time and distance, she often stated that they always remained present with her in heart and mind. She was well known for her neighborhood generosity, her tremendous cooking skills and for being a magnificent mother to her three young boys. Moreover, Frances had a richly deserved reputation for being the consummate homemaker. Frances is survived by her husband, Donald, Steele, ND; her three sons, LTC Thomas B. Nielsen and his fiance’ Sharon Williams, Urbandale, IA; MAJ Ret Michael R. Nielsen and wife Martha, Leavenworth, KS; and Charles G. Nielsen, Oakdale, IA; three grandsons, SGT Nathaniel T. Nielsen, Urbandale, IA; Stephen Sheeder, Adair, IA; and Michael R. Nielsen Jr., Lawrence, KS; one granddaughter, Sarah Nielsen, Lansing, KS; her sisters, Katherine Bauer, Jean Bill Persoon, and Mary Ann Daniel Relei, and sisters-in-law, Betty Rohrich, Margaret Rohrich and Evelyn Rohrich. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Valentine, Joe, Clem, John Jr., George, Eddie and John; and her sisters, Maggie, Margaret and Betty.

Frances Heinze

February 18, 1930 - February 9, 2010