Frances Coonrod

Frances Coonrod, 89, Albuquerque, NM, formerly of Bismarck, left this earth on May 4, 2005 to rejoin her beloved family in heaven.   She anticipated being with her Lord and Master and the rest of her wonderful family for several years.  We can only imagine the rejoicing of everyone as they are together again.  

     Services will be held at 10 AM Wednesday at Zion Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Thomas R. Marcis, Jr. officiating.  Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.

     Visitation will be held from 2PM - 6 PM Tuesday at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck.

     Frances Albers Coonrod was born August 9, 1915, in Hannover ND, to Theodore "Ted" H. and Helena (Schmeling) Albers.  She was raised in Hannover and graduated from New Salem High School as Salutatorian.  She attended Dickinson State Teachers' College and returned to Hannover to a one-room schoolhouse teaching grades 1 to 6.  She married Earl Coonrod January 16, 1940 in Hannover.  They lived in Bismarck most of their 51 years of married life.  Earl died in 1991 and Frances remained there until 1997 when she moved to Albuquerque, NM with one of her daughters.  Frances retired from the North Dakota Public Health Department as a lab technician and enjoyed many years of retirement with family and friends.

     Frances was a loyal and long time member of Zion Lutheran Church and active in the Lutheran Women's Missionary League.  With her strong faith, she especially liked the bible verse, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."  She was always happy to lend a helping hand to others.  Back in the days when the Missouri would flood, she would help families clean up their homes by doing their laundry.  When her family lived in Mandan, she was a charter member of Messiah Lutheran where she did everything but preach the sermons.  She helped build the church and clean it, cooked for potlucks, welcomed new members, taught Sunday School and fed the minister once a week.   In her later years, residing in a nursing home, she would visit with other residents who were sick and read them the bible or just visit with them.  She was a great story teller and enjoyed telling her family stories about growing up on the family farm; some of them with tears and some with laughter but all with love and pride for her family and her Hannover home.  She followed her Lord throughout her life and now she is home with Him and her loved ones

     Frances was very proud of and deeply loved her family. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law; Dr. Ted Coonrod and Judy of California; her two daughters and sons-in-law, Kay and Tony Veal of New Mexico and Connie and Darrel Woodworth of Alaska; five grandchildren, Wyatt Woodworth of Alaska, Andi Bartz of Ohio, Erin and Christian Coonrod of California, Jeff Hart of New Mexico and one great grandson, Derek Wright of Colorado; as well as two nephews, Ted and Lyle Albers.  She was preceded in death by her parents, a baby daughter, her husband Earl, sister Margaret Pederson, and brother Martin Albers and his wife, Florence.