Lorene Franks Pletsch Plencner

Heaven was truly blessed with the arrival of a very “special” angel on July 28, 2015. Heaven will never be the same. She was 87.
Lorene Hildur Bjorgaard was born August 24, 1927 to Oscar and Ethel Jorgenson Bjorgaard at their farm home. She was the sixth child joining two sisters: Fern and Gladys and three brothers: Arnold, Harold and Ernest born previously. Her younger brother Raymond completed the family of seven children arriving seven years after Lorene’s birth. All have preceded her in death except her sister Fern.
As a child, Lorene was a country girl living on the farm in rural Minnesota just north of Warren most of her childhood. She spent those early days bottle feeding a pet lamb named Flossy, playing with her two pet cats Dickey who was white and Felix who was grey. Other times she would jump on her brother’s horse Pal and either go riding with her friend down the road , help with herding the cows, or putting up hay with her dad and his brothers. For two summers she enjoyed swimming and meeting tons of people that came to the Old Mill State Park were her parents were park caretakers during that time.
She attended a one room country school house as a little girl brought to school by her older brothers in a caboose drawn by a team of horses. She described it as looking like a body of a car with runners under it. Her mom would warm flat irons on the stove, wrap them in blankets and put them in the caboose to warm her feet on her way to school. For high school it was off to the school in town of Warren, MN. She rode back and forth to school with her brothers in an old Model A and the exhaust fumes were so bad she’d come home sick with a headache every night. It was her sophomore year of school when her parents decided they needed to go to Minneapolis to work in the defense plants so they could seek medical care for her sister Fern. However, Lorene didn’t want to leave her school in Warren or the new boy she met: Ron Pletsch. The only way she could stay in Warren to go to school was if she worked for her room and board. She stayed with a family in Warren and worked to help the family with household chores and caring for their two young children. She did that through her Junior year. She spent her spare time at the library. She read every book in the library twice. When she was a Senior she and her sister Fern got a sleeping room in town. She worked in a dime store on Saturdays and her sister Fern worked for a dentist to help pay the cost along with help from her parents. During her high school years Lorene was active in the Glee Club and mixed Chorus, Junior and Senior class plays and elected to the National Honor Society. She was an honor student graduating 6th from the top. Ron remained her high school boyfriend until he joined the Air Force at which time Lorene with friends Lois and Frances moved to Fargo to attend Interstate Business College. It is here she met William Franks and on June 21, 1947 they were married. They brought seven children into the world and raised them in Fargo/Moorhead; Charles, Charlotte, John, Janis, Steve, Brian and Patrick. Lorene worked during those years when the children were in school doing bookkeeping for local businesses and eventually at Berg Fargo Motor Supply where she eventually retired after 15 years of employment. Lorene’s love and commitment to her family never wavered. She devoted her life to being a selfless and amazing mom, grandma and great grandmother.
Her faith was expressed in all that she did , teaching her children to be good to each other and to be kind to all especially those who had less. She enjoyed family gatherings and being an accomplished cook and baker, prepared amazing meals effortlessly for all to enjoy.
Her grandchildren were the joy of her life and many times they enjoyed sleepovers where they would create commercials and skits complete with props and costumes and of course, all recorded by grandma with her” shoulder riding” video recorder. Other times they joined in the making of hundreds of her traditional roll out/cut out Christmas cookies including frosting and decorating them. Recording these types of events became very important to her as she loved history and wanted to preserve family history as it unfolded through the grandchildren and other numerous events over the years. It was a guarantee even when her own children were young that should tornado sirens go off , she would grab two things : her children and the scrapbooks as she headed for shelter.
She taught many by her example to never give up no matter what, to be kind to each as life is short, and her demonstration of unconditional love that kept the doors of her heart always open to all was a strong witness of the love Christ has for us. She always put others before herself, always. That is just who she was. She never gave up on anyone she loved. She was very approachable and could strike up a conversation with anyone. Her sense of humor always provided much laughter through the years and was always a good sport when she was often times the blunt end of the joke.
As the time and years passed Lorene once again crossed paths with her high school sweetheart Ron Pletsch at their 35th Class Reunion in Warren. Both were divorced and their love for each other that began in their high school years was rekindled and they were married on November 9, 1981 adding to Lorene’s family 4 stepchildren ; Dan, Leonard Lenny, Elaine “Tree”and Tom and their families. They lived out the ten years they had in a constant honeymoon traveling in their motorhome to see family and friends, spending winters in Arizona golfing and with friends there , enjoying time with grandkids and always returning to their home at 1306.
Yet even in Arizona, Lorene’s undying commitment to those in need or less fortunate continued as she volunteered cleaning at a children’s home. They would refer to her as the “white tornado” because she always showed up ready to work and work she did as she did her entire life up until a few years ago when Lewy Bodies Dementia took hold and bit by bit, robbed her of her abilities to function. Ron passed away from a heart condition May 3, 1991 but not before bringing much love to Lorene, her children and her grandchildren.
In 2002 while back for a visit at her home town of Warren she met Nick Plencner and they were married November 2, 2003. Lorene’s family now grew by 5 more stepchildren, Nick’s children Wayne, Mona, Michael, Nikki, Susan and their families. Lorene moved to Warren but kept her home in Moorhead so she’d have a place to stay when she came to Moorhead as well as for her kids when they traveled back to Moorhead to visit. Nick passed away April 5, 2014.
Lorene moved back to Moorhead and resided at Riverpointe in Moorhead until her death. Lorene leaves behind five sons Charles Denise, John Cheryl, Steve Sue, Brian, Pat Debbie, two Daughters CharlotteLynn and Janis. Her 16 grandchildren and 9 greatgrandchildren Ben Lisa Schroeder and son Devan and daughter Lynzi, Joe Brandy Schroeder and Natasha, Chase, Skylar and Kolton, Leslie Brian Klaers and Raelyn and Miles, Hannah Schroeder and Jack, Jesse Botner, Tanner, Paul & Ahna Erickson, Dexa DeeDee Franks, Lisa Franks, Lacee, Spencer & Cooper Franks, Mac Franks & Tia Dan, Logan Benjamin Franks and 6 step grandchildren Carissa, Josh, Mitch, Kassidy, Nicole, Brooke, step-great-grand daughter Aaliyah many nieces and nephews, cousins, friends and neighbors whom she deeply loved and enjoyed throughout her life. Visitation will be Sunday, August 2, 2015 from 6-8 P.M. at Wright Funeral Home with a brief family program at 8. Funeral will be Monday, August 3, 2015 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Moorhead, MN. Lunch will follow in the church gathering space with burial at St. Joseph Cemetery for immediate family later in the afternoon.
Lorene’s family would like to sincerely thank the wonderful staff at Riverpointe and Hospice of the Red River Valley who took such loving care of her during this difficult and challenging time of her life. You all are true angels of God in the work you do day in and day out in service to the caring of our elderly. Also to the staff of Good Samaritan in Warren during the time she was there. We are eternally grateful to you all!!
We also give our heartfelt thanks to all of you who have joined us by your presence or expressed thoughts to help us honor and pay tribute to our mother. Thank you for being a special part of her life and ours.