Frances Catherine Wienken

Frances “Fran” Wienken, 80, of Spencerville, died at 8:55 pm on Tuesday, July 18, 2017 in the Community Health Professional (CHP) Inpatient Hospice Care Center of Van Wert, surrounded by family members. She was a patient since Thursday, July 13, 2017. She had previously been at Van Crest Nursing Home in Delphos recovering from a medical condition which occurred on May 6, 2017.

Frances Catherine Wienken was born June 8, 1937, (near Landeck) in Spencer Township, Allen County, Ohio to Othmer M. and Theresa (Etzkorn) Wienken. She was baptized in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Landeck by Father Peter Janssen.

She was an Eighth Grade Graduate of St. John School in 1951, Landeck. At the age of 18 years old, on August 28, 1955, she entered the Convent of the Sisters of St. Francis – Tiffin, Ohio. Where she received her Habit on August 12, 1956 and made her Final Profession on August 12, 1958. She was assigned mission work in North Carolina.

In 1972, she left the community of St. Francis and took a position with Hayes Albion Corporation – Trim Trends, of Spencerville from 1972-1980, she then took a assistant activities director position at St. Mary’s Living Center, she then took a position volunteering as Assistant Activities Director with Roselawn Nursing Home, Spencerville.

She frequently made trips to Dayton to attend a Prayer Meeting with the Dayton Prayer Group. She was a devout Catholic and attended Mass regularly, often at different churches throughout the area. She was an extraordinary distributor of the Eucharist to many shut-ins, and attended to the sick and dying. She had a collection of Memorial Cards and obituary write ups, which were filed in chronological order and from which she would daily say prayers on the anniversary of someone’s death for that person. Fran often talked about her pilgrimage to Medjugorje in Yugoslavia, which she took in 1988.  She was known as “The Purple Lady” as she usually wore purple wardrobe/outfits.

She is survived by the following brothers and sisters: Mary Siefker, Delphos; Agnes Wienken, Delphos; Clara Wienken, of Delphos; Leon Wienken, of Van Wert; Herman (Nell Jean) Wienken, of Venedocia.

She was preceded in death by her parents and the following brothers and sisters: half-brother, Arnold (late Ella Rose) Wienken; George (late Violeta Siefker) Wienken; Paul Wienken; James (late Marilyn) Wienken, Loretta Becker; Rosie (late John) Hart; and brother-in-law; Richard Siefker; and several nieces and nephews.

She was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Spencerville and of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Landeck.

Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, July 21, 2017, at 10:00 a.m., at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Landeck. Father Charles Obinwa will officiate. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. There will be a rosary service beginning at 9:45a.m. at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Capital Improvement Fund.

Funeral arrangements prepared by Harter and Schier Funeral Home, Delphos.

 Service Information