Maxwell "Max" Kristian Franzen, 89, died Monday, July 17, 2006 at the Green Pine Acres Nursing Home in Menahga.
He was born Feb. 9, 1917 to Frank and Theresia Franzen in Rockford, IL. He graduated from Rockford Senior High School and was a member of the National Honor Society. He moved to the Twin Cities and attended Bethel College and Hamline University. He was a member of Kappa Phi Kappa educational fraternity. He attended Northwestern College in Minneapolis to prepare for chaplaincy service in the US military.
He married Phyllis M. Burlingham Aug. 29, 1941. He spent 27 years in the Boy Scouts of America, attaining the position of North Lakes District Commissioner. After World War II, he was youth and education director of the United Temperance Movement. Following his graduate studies at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, he taught sociology and psychology at Northwestern College in Minneapolis under then president Bill Graham. He pursued security service positions with Pinkerton and the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retiring in 1982 and moving to Park Rapids, he served Boy Scout Troop 58 in charge of "God and Country" and other religious awards.
He was a member of First Baptist Church and Church of Christ in White Bear Lake and First Baptist Church and Faith Baptist Church in Park Rapids.
He is survived by four children, Roxann C. (David) Wilkinson of St. Paul, Naomi G. (David) Anderson of Pillager, Douglas J. (Barbara) of Largo, FL and Robyn (Michael) Holtz of Hastings; sister, Virginia A. Lange of Mission Viejo, CA; seven grandchildren, one great-grandson and numerous nieces and nephews.
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He was preceded in death by his wife April 15, 2006, parents and two brothers.
Visitation: One hour prior to the service at the church.
Funeral: 9:30 a.m. today (Saturday) at Faith Baptist Church in Park Rapids with Revs. Marty Giese and Abe Cardosa officiating.
Interment: 3 p.m. today (Saturday) at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Mahtomedi.
Memorials are preferred to the Green Pine Acres Nursing Home Activity Fund.
