Margaret Szafranski

Margaret (Kelash) Szafranski age 94 of Foley, MN, loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, November 12, 2019, surrounded by those who loved her.  Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM Saturday, November 16, 2019, at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Gilman.  Rev. Matthew Langager will officiate.  Visitation will be from 4 to 8 PM Friday, November 15th at the Foley Funeral Home with a Christian Women Rosary at 5:30 and Parish Prayers at 6 PM.  Visitation one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.  Burial will be in the parish cemetery.  

Margaret was born in Alberta Township, Benton County, MN on December 24, 1924, to John and Aniela (Bower) Kelash.   She was the third of eight children.  At a young age, Margaret moved to the Minneapolis area where she held various jobs including, a nanny, a dance instructor, an assembler at Munsingwear and several years at the Twin Cities Ordinance plant where she assembled bullets. Margaret married Frank Szafranski on July 6, 1949, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Morrill.  She spent the rest of her life on the family farm, were she nurtured her large loving family.  Margaret was active in Sts. Peter and Paul’s parish as a member of the Christian Women’s organization and served as the president of the St. Anne’s Mission group, she was also the parish liaison for the Foley Cross Center, where she volunteered weekly for many years. Margaret also worked for a period of time as a seamstress at Fingerhut, St. Cloud, MN. She enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, quilting, sewing, gardening, embroidering, baking and watching almost any type of sporting events especially the Vikings and Twins.             

Margaret is survived by her children, Sharon (Butch) Kipka of Foley, Dan (Kate) of Litchfield Park, AZ, Bob (Darlene) Foley, Gloria (Leonard) Schram Columbia Heights, Geralyn Franklin Lino Lakes, Kevin, Michelle (Terry) Templin, and Jody, of  Foley and Randy (Sondra), Cold Spring.  14 Grand Children and 7 Great Grandchildren.   She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank, her sons Larry and Patrick, son-in-law Jim Franklin, and siblings; Olga Kelash, Annette Skajewski, Frank Kelash, Donald Kelash and Geraldine Chmielewski.

We celebrate her gift of longevity and thank her for loving us and teaching us how to love.

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