- Date Of Birth: November 25, 1939
- Date Of Death: November 6, 2022
- State: Idaho
Fred Albert Franz, age 82 of Boise, Idaho, passed away peacefully in the afternoon hours of November 6, 2022, due to complications of Alzheimer’s.
Fred was born on November 25, 1939, at The Saint Mary Hospital in Manhattan, Kansas. He was the youngest of two children. Fred was raised primarily in Soldier, Kansas, where his family had a farm and his parents also taught school. Money was scarce in those days, and Fred remembers the excitement of the farmhouse getting insulation and running water when he was in the fifth grade. Fred stayed busy helping on the farm and going to school, where he excelled in his classes. He graduated from Holton High School in 1957 and Kansas State University in 1961.
Fred was drafted into the Air Force after college. He was first in his class and was assigned to the new B-52 bomber as an Electronic Warfare Officer. He stayed in the Air Force until 1967 and was honorably discharged at the rank of Captain.
Fred’s career was spent working for Fisher Mills in Seattle, Washington, until the mid 1970s, and then with Amalgamated Sugar/White Satin until 1987. During this time, he was first the factory superintendent at Nyssa, Oregon, then Paul, Idaho, and finally at Nampa, Idaho. The family moved to Moraga, California, in 1987 as Fred took the position of operations manager with Holly Sugar. While In California, Fred’s liver started giving him problems, so the family returned to Idaho to improve his health. During this time, Fred returned to Amalgamated Sugar and retired in 2000.
Fred’s health significantly improved, and during retirement he and Hope purchased a motorhome and enjoyed camping around the West with friends and family. Fred volunteered many hours at the Discovery Center of Idaho and became highly involved with the Boise Astronomical Society. Fred and Hope purchased a second home in Arizona and spent many winters enjoying the sun and playing pickleball. Fred was always a superb fly fisherman, and he also became an avid backpacker and took many trips throughout Idaho and Oregon. His bucket list trip was in September 2017, at the age of 78, when he and his son backpacked and fished over 40 miles down all of Big Creek.
Fred is survived by his son Sid (Darra) Franz of Boise, daughter Emily (Rob) Nord of Boise, and daughter Kim (Trevor) McGiveran of Spokane; grandchildren Nathan and Amelia Franz, AJ and Lincoln Nord, and Zachary and Conner McGiveran. He is also survived by his sister Jane Butel of Albuquerque, NM.
