John R. Franz

life story

n loving memory of one who passed away peacefully at 91 years old, surrounded by family and friends. He joined his Savior on April 19, 2026.

John was born on January 26, 1935 in East St. Paul, where he grew up. As a young boy, he spent summers at Birch Lake in White Bear Lake with his grandparents, swimming, gardening, and raising rabbits.

He attended Harding High School, where he played basketball and baseball and served as president of the Harding Improvement Club, graduating in 1953.

Early on, he was drawn to the arts and started experimenting with all kinds of mediums, focusing on clay and watercolor. He graduated from St. John’s University in 1957 with a mission to become an art teacher.

After brief stints with the Minnesota Water Department and other local schools, he got a job as an art teacher at Oakland Junior High, where he taught from 1969-1993. He met many of his lifelong friends while teaching there, all of whom brought immense joy to his life.

John met his wife, Pat, at St. John’s while she was visiting campus through her nursing program. They wed in 1958 and raised seven beautiful children together. He was a devoted and caring father, known for creating fun and taking the night shift while Pat pursued her dream of nursing.

In 1994, the two decided to retire up in Grand Marais, where they’d spent their honeymoon.

John became heavily intertwined with the art community there, and helped pave the way for future artists to learn and study their craft up north. He volunteered and taught classes with many organizations over the years, including the Grand Marais Art Colony of Grand Marais and Outdoor Painters of Minnesota. He was a frequent participant and competitor in Plein Air Grand Marais for many years and treasured his time at Camp Mynogen.

A devoted Catholic, he also became a parishioner of St. John’s Catholic Church, where he served as a lectern, sacristan, and usher for many years.

Art, family, and education were the center of everything he did. He is remembered as an incredible artist, teacher, and mentor to countless people over the years. He had a cherished ability to connect others and was known for his witty sense of humor. He loved Grand Marais dearly, and was inspired by its beauty in his art.

Preceded in death by his wife, Patricia (Kehrer) Franz; his parents, August and Dorothy (Stary) Franz; his sisters, Marleen Lenz and Barbara Reller. Survived by his 7 children, Diana (Tim) Danielson, Susan (Jerry) Ferguson, Ann Snodie, Leslie (Dean) Marshall, Cindy (Mike) Breault, Joan (Dan) Dorrain, and Mike (Marci) Franz; 13 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren.

Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00am on May 5, 2026 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Grand Marais, MN. Memorial preferred and will be donated to the non-profit organization, Outdoor Painters of Minnesota, to continue his legacy in arts education.