Otis Franke

Otis Ray Franke, 83, of Eau Claire, passed away peacefully in his sleep on November 16, 2021. On January 9, 1938, he was born to Anne Augusta Margareta Franke (Schubert) and Raymond Leonard (Doc) Franke in Mauston, WI. Otis was the third child in a loving and close-knit family.

He was raised on the family farm in Mauston where he attended grades K-8 in a one-room schoolhouse before graduating from Mauston High School in 1956. During school, Otis thrived on activities. He was a football, track, and volleyball athlete and exercised his mind as a student librarian, 4-H club member, actor in the class play, and delegate to the Badger Boys’ State. The fulfillment and sense of belonging he felt from these accomplishments established a lifelong love of volunteering.

In his senior year of high school, Otis joined the Wisconsin Army National Guard and served as a First Cook in the 32nd Infantry Division until he was honorably discharged in 1963. He proudly served at Fort Lewis in Washington State during The Berlin Crisis in 1961-1962.

After his service to his country, he lived in Madison, WI and worked as a Staff Clerk at the Children’s Treatment Center. In 1963, he married and during that marriage two children were born, Leigh Ann Franke (McMahon) and Paul David Franke. In 1964, Otis was hired by the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as a Storekeeper in the Central Stores. That move from Madison, was the start of his life and career in Eau Claire, WI. He managed the central warehousing operations of UW-EC until 1967 when he was promoted to Planner for Facilities Planning which later evolved into Director of Facilities Planning. Otis provided planning assistance and coordination for all administration and academic departments within the UW-EC. He was responsible for implementation and supervision of architect/engineer design of the construction projects on campus and he was the liaison between contractors, construction engineers, architectural firms, and various government agencies. Otis loved his job, and his dedication was rewarded with numerous accolades and awards before his retirement on March 31, 1994.

If you asked people who Otis Franke was to them, they’d all give you a different answer. He was a Mason of the George B. Wheeler Lodge 351. He was a veteran and a member of the VFW 53 and American Legion. He was a “migrant worker”, who’d start picking strawberries in June and finish with apples in October. He organized a group who sold produce at the Eau Claire Farmer’s Market and donated the proceeds to the Community Table, where he also volunteered to cook. He was a Shriner, member of the Sunrise Exchange Club, member of the Optimist Club, member of the First Baptist Church, and later in life a member of the Saving Grace Lutheran Church. He was a volunteer greeter and part of the Step Force at Luther/Mayo Hospital. He was a cook who organized and served chili feeds for the Masonic fundraisers and the B&B Electric staff. He was a mentor to young adults for SCORE. He was a hunter, fisherman, and golfer; a father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. The list goes on and on. He was an inspiration to all, a friend to many, and a burden to none. He made more memories than his mind could hold and left a lasting impression on all who knew him. He was loved and will be greatly missed.

Otis is survived by his brother, Darrell (Ruth) Franke of Powell, Tennessee and his sister-in-law, Veryl (Pat) Franke of Mauston, WI; children, Leigh (Steven) McMahon of Eau Claire, WI and Paul (Ann) Franke of Madison, WI; grandchildren, Kristin (Frank) Naranjo of Menomonie, WI, and Stephen (Jennifer) McMahon of Chippewa Falls, WI; great-grandchild, Kylie McMahon of Chippewa Falls, WI; many nieces and nephews, and friends.

Preceding him in death are his parents Anne and Doc Franke; brother, Arnold (Pat) Franke; sister, Janet Franke; and sister-in-law, Ruth Franke.

Celebration of Life services will be held on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at the Stokes, Prock & Mundt Funeral Chapel in Altoona, WI. Visitation will be 9:00-11:00 am, service will begin at 11:00 am, with lunch to follow. Interment will be held at a later date at the Evergreen Cemetery in Mauston, WI.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Stacy Wozney and the staff of the Garden Community at The Classic in Altoona, WI for their care and love for Otis during his battle with dementia.