Frances Sampson

Frances Victoria Weckwerth Sampson age 93 of Minneapolis, passed away April 16, 2013. She was born in Chippewa County, Minnesota on December 13^th, 1919 and grew up on a dairy farm which is still owned by the Weckwerth family.  Frances was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sparta Township. She attended country school and graduated from Montevideo High School as salutatorian of her class.  She was preceded in death by her brother Elwood Weckwerth.  She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Richard; children Vicky (Ronald) Ercolani of Minneapolis, Holly Sampson of Duluth, MN; two granddaughters, and sister Jeanette Johnson of Akeley, MN.  Fran was a stay-at-home mother through her daughters’ elementary school years, then worked as an administrative assistant with the Minneapolis Public Schools for fifteen years retiring from the superintendent’s office.  She had many creative hobbies: sewing, baking, knitting, cake-decorating, macramé, calligraphy, poetry-writing. She loved music, especially hymn-singing.  She volunteered as a Girl Scout Leader, was a member of Missionary Circle, and also served funeral lunches at church. For more than four decades Fran and Dick spent part of every summer at Woman Lake near Hackensack, Minnesota and owned a cabin there.  Although she turned 80 the year her first grandchild was born, she still had the good health and energy to be a wonderful grandmother. Frances has been a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church for 62 years.  She and her husband were also summertime members of Salem Lutheran Church in Longville near their cabin.  Frances has gone to meet Lord Jesus, who has been with her all of her life.