Phyllis Franzen

Phyllis K. Franzen, 93, of Sioux City died Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015, at Countryside Nursing and Rehab.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, with the Rev. Tess Panamarow officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., all at the funeral home.
Phyllis was born on Dec. 24, 1921, in Adel, Iowa, the daughter of Carl and Lura (Mills) King. She attended school and graduated from Adel High School in 1940.
Phyllis married Gus Franzen on Aug. 26, 1950. They lived throughout Iowa moving to Sioux City in 1967. Gus died on Jan. 24, 1988. In her early years, Phyllis worked as a switchboard operator in Des Moines and at New Jersey Bell and Northwestern Bell. After her children grew up, she was active volunteering with the local hospitals in their gift shops.
Phyllis was an active member of Morningside Lutheran Church, the Lioness Club and the Telephone Pioneers. She was a cancer survivor. Phyllis enjoyed all sorts of crafts including needlework, crocheting, arranging flowers and anything else she could find. She loved going on family vacations and communicating with their Swedish relatives.
Phyllis is survived by her daughter, Julie (Thom) Humbert of Sioux City; a son, Craig Franzen and fiancee, Renee Gordon; three grandchildren, Genell (Corey) Reinert of Sioux City, Aaron Humbert of Omaha, and Benjamin Humbert of Sioux City; three great-grandchildren, Kiley, Hanna Joy and Hannah Kenna; and one very special great-great-granddaughter.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Gus; granddaughter, Tiffany Joy Humbert; and three siblings.