Alvina Frances Ackman Frank

life story

A loving Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, and Friend.

Alvina Frances Ackman Frank was born March 12,1923 at her Grandmother Anna Ballstadt Tessmer Kohlmier’s house in Owatonna, MN. She was the fourth of seven children for William Christian and Elizabeth Tessmer Ackman. They lived on a farm in Deerfield Township, MN until 1932 when they moved to Byron Township, Waseca County. There she graduated 8th grade and got her right hand caught in a corn picker. She attended Mankato Beauty school where she met Bonita Frank whose brother Edwin she met, fell in love with, and married March 13, 1945 while Edwin was in the army.

She worked in a salon in Cheyenne Wyoming until Edwin shipped out to Alaska. Upon his return, they moved to Owatonna where Edwin worked at public utilities and Alvina worked in a salon downtown. She purchased that salon, named it The Charm Beauty Shop. She was active in and served as president of the Owatonna Business Women’s Association. During the next several years she concentrated on making memories with her family. She was the president of the PTA for her children’s school while they were young and was a Sunday school teacher at church. After Edwin died in 1960, Alvina’s father converted part of the basement to a beauty shop so she could work from home. In 1965 she married Leon Frank, Edwin’s brother.

Alvina was passionate about family and everything she did centered around the love she had for her family. She moved to Minneapolis in 1991 to live with her son Mark and be closer to her grandchildren and make sure she was a part of their lives. She loved dancing. She and Edwin used to have many gatherings of friends at their house for weekend parties where they would laugh and dance to music until their feet gave out. She loved any type of handwork whether it be quilting, hardanger, or making beautiful Christmas decorations. She loved to play cards. Her brothers, sisters, children, and grandchildren would play cards together for hours. One of her favorite games was hand and foot. Come holidays, or really any time, her favorite was anything chocolate or peanut butter. She made the most delicious treats. She organized and taught hardanger classes, and won many blue ribbons at the county fair for her hardanger pieces.

She was preceded in death by her husband Edwin Frank and second husband Leon Frank, her mother and father, 2 sisters and 4 brothers. She is survived by her son Mark Frank, daughter Tamara Hudrlik (Terrence Hudrlik), grandson Daniel Hudrlik, granddaughter Samantha Hudrilk (Matthew Barton) and great grandson Henry Barton.

We now say goodbye to our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, and Friend. May you rest in peace. We will always remember you for your laughter, the sparkle in your eyes, and the love you had for your family. We will miss you dearly and remember you always.