Doris Bertha (Johnston) Franzen of Glasgow died peacefully on January 6, 2024, at the age of 87, at Valley View Nursing Home with family at her side. Doris was born in Middle River Village, Minnesota, on July 15, 1936, to Clifford Jerome Johnston and Ida Elizabeth (Anderson) Johnston. She was the oldest of ten children.
The family moved to Flaxville, Montana in 1938. From there they moved to Poplar for a short time before moving to the Fort Peck Dam project. In 1942 the family moved to Glasgow when Doris started school. In 1944, the growing family moved to Opheim where Doris’ Uncle Red had purchased a farm northwest of Opheim. In 1948, the family made the permanent move back to Glasgow.
Doris graduated from Glasgow High School in 1954 and married the love of her life on July 1, 1954. She had to get permission from her parents to marry Albert George Franzen. Eight children were born to this marriage of 65 years.
Once all those kids went to school, Doris started in the workforce with the Glasgow Police Department where she worked for 25 years. She spent many years volunteering in the community with Friends of the Pioneer Museum, research and publication of Footprints in the Valley, the Heritage Wall project, and the annual mass mailing to raise funds for the museum.
Mom was always thinking of others by sending out cards and letters of support and well wishes.
She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Albert, her parents Clifford and Ida, brothers: Bud, Dick, Gary, and Allen; and sisters, Betty, and Judy. Doris is survived by her sisters: Shirley, Faye, and Penny; sister-in-law, Rita; children: Rollie (Lorie) Franzen, of Cape Coral, FL, Brenda (Butch) Leckie of Glasgow, Ann (Tim) Potter of Glasgow, Sharon (Nick) Thelen of Kenmare, ND, Louise (Clem) Lemieux of Glasgow, Linda (Jimmy) Kuich of Spanaway, WA, Bridger (Thelma) Franzen of Monarch, MT and Theresa (Allen) Sevareid of Belgrade, MT; grandchildren: Albert (Brittney) Franzen, Tom (Melissa)Leckie, Tim Jr (Saralyn) Potter, Marie (Jeremy) Donaldson, Katie Potter, Fred (Katy) Potter, Jerad Thelen, Britney Thelen, Nicole (Dan) Cole, Christopher Remus, Sabrina (Chris) Coyne, Amanda (Jose) Cruz, Jay (Aundrea) Jones, Roman Franzen, Sam Franzen, Adam (Kayla Meyer) Gilbreath, Ashleigh Knaff, Raymond (Kaitlin) Monterde, Mateo Monterde, Kayla (Travis) Haxton and Ryan (Bridget) Sevareid; 33 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Doris would often look at her legacy and say, “I am so blessed.”
Pallbearers – Albert Franzen, Tom Leckie, Tim Potter Jr, Fred Potter, Jerad Thelen, Christopher Remus, Sam Franzen, Ryan Sevareid and Adam Gilbreath.
Honorary Pallbearers – Police Chiefs Tom Grewe, Emery Brelje, Bob West, and the rest of the law enforcement community; Butch and Deb Heitman and Craig and Julie Lawson.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Doris’ favorite charities: The Friends of the Pioneer Museum, Valley County Hope Project, Valley County Sheriffs Dept, Glasgow Police Dept, Long Run Fire Dept, Glasgow Fire Dept or Montana Special Olympics. A rosary will be prayed on Monday, January 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church in Glasgow, Montana. Funeral Mass will at be held 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church with burial following in Highland Cemetery. Condolences for the family may be left at bellmortuarymontana.com