Stella Mae Franck, 98, of Cuba City, and formerly of Delmar and Lost Nation, Iowa, died Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the Southwest Health Center in Platteville, Wisconsin.

Stella Mae was born on May 3, 1927, in Vergas, Minnesota to August and Elsie Krabbenhoft. Her mother died during childbirth, so she was cared for by several members of the family until at the age of 3, she was adopted by her Aunt and Uncle Ivan and Anna Shirk. In her early years, she lived in Oxford Junction, Iowa, and then moved to Maquoketa. She graduated from Maquoketa High School among the top 10 of her class in 1945. She then attended the University of Dubuque taking a teacher’s course. She then taught in a one room schoolhouse in rural Jackson County. While going to high school she worked at the Ben Franklin Store and Wendel’s Grocery.

On June 2, 1945, she married Charles Franck in Maquoketa. They farmed several years near Dewitt, Iowa, later moving to Delmar. Stella did childcare in her home for many years for many families.

She was a member of Charlotte Immanuel Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School for 20 years and was a member of the Ladies Aid.  She served 22 years as City Clerk of Delmar from 1976 until retiring in 1998. She founded Stella’s Flags while in Delmar. She was an Election Administrator for many years while she lived in Delmar.  They moved to Lost Nation, Iowa, and she became a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and BWELCA Rebecca Circle and Community Quilters group.  Stella then moved to Cuba City Wisconsin in 2018 and became a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Cuba City.  Stella started to sew quilts for the church and has made Over 300+ in one year. From the time she got up till the time she went to bed she was working on a quilt. Her daughter Kari told her many times that if the sewing machine was a car she would have a MILLION MILES on it! She loved sewing quilts, and it became a passion for her. Even her getting an article in the newspaper and even on WMTV Channel 15 News in Madison Wisconsin. Being a member of Faith Lutheran church was like family to Stella. The members were always there to help her in the church and glad to see her. She even had a Surprise “95^th” birthday party for her at the church; many people attended and even came from out of state.

Stella enjoyed sewing, crocheting, crafts, bingo, playing euchre, listening to music and spending time with her grandchildren. She also enjoyed time with her church family from Cuba City and Lost Nation and bragging about her great granddaughter, Stella AnnMarie, who was named after her.  Stella also was a fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Cubs and enjoyed watching the horse racing Triple Crown of the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and The Preakness.

Stella is survived by 2 sons, Dennis Franck of Bend, OR, Allen (Theresa) Franck of Albany, IL; 3 daughters, Kari Franck (James Hinzmann) of Dyersville IA , Judy (Albert) Ahrens of Joshua,TX Shirley (Jay) Deering of Graham, WA; 10 grandchildren, Tyler Franck, Tonya Paschal, Edward Nadolskey, Stephany Dudley, Bethany Nadolskey, Debra Whitmier, Kody Franck, Kourtney Denniston, Samantha DeWulf, Kayden Franck Rigg and Gary Ahrens; 3 step-grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren; a half-brother, Robert Krabbenhoft; nieces Betty Stapleton and Cathey Krabbenhoft, and Nephew Donald Krabbenhoft.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her adopted parents, her husband, Charles Franck; Great Grandson Bellamy DeWulf; a half-sister, Beverly Fehrman; and two half-brothers August Krabbenhoft Jr. and Edward Krabbenhoft.

A celebration of her life will be held at 11 A.M., Friday, June 6, 2025 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Lost Nation, Iowa.  Visitation will be held prior to the funeral from 9:30 A.M. until service time. Burial will be at Clinton Lawn Cemetery, Clinton, Iowa, at a later date.  The Carson Celebration of Life Center is caring for the family.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, a Stella Mae Franck memorial fund has been established.

Online Condolences may be left at www.CarsonAndSon.com.