MARY JANE (FRANK) POTTRATZ

May 31, 1927 - June 8, 2013

Mary Jane (Frank) Pottratz, age 86, passed away June 8, 2013 in Stillwater, Minn. Mary Jane was born on May 31, 1927 in Caledonia, Minn. and grew up on a farm in rural Caledonia one half mile off of Houston Co. Hwy 1. The Frank family moved into Caledonia in 1946 and lived in the house at Kingston and Caledonia streets. She was a reporter for St. Peters Parish and a treasurer of the St. Mary’s Altar Society as well as the financial secretary for Catholic Daughters. She was active in 4-H and the Rural Youth Organization and was the editor of their paper “The Rouser.” Mary Jane graduated from Loretto High Scholl in 1945 and attended The Minneapolis Business College. After college she worked as a clerk-typist at the Houston County welfare office. On Nov. 25, 1954 Mary Jane Frank married Dell Pottratz of Eitzen, Mínn. Dell was an electrician for Muska Electric and Mary Jane referred to herself as a Household Engineer. They had two children, John and Jean. They resided in North St. Paul for most of their married years. Mary Jane and Dell were married 49 years at the time of his passing in March of 2004. Mary Jane sewed, crocheted, embroidered, played the piano, 500, euchre and Yahtzee. She enjoyed fishing with the family at their cabin in Crosslake, Minn. She had interests in vegetable gardening flowers and birds. She was an avid bowler for 35 years. She attended St. Jude of the Lake Catholic Church in Mahtomedi, Minn. and sang in their fun funeral mass choir. She volunteered at St. John’s Hospital for over 5500 hours. She had a great love for old time music and dancing. She is preceded in death by her husband Dell Pottratz, parents Tony and Zita Frank, brother Quentin, sister Ione, in-laws Leo and Cecil Pottratz and sister-in-law Dorothy Pottratz. She is survived by her so John (Bonnie); daughter Jean and granddaughters Elizabeth and Diane Pottratz and Kristen (Jeff) Hussong; sisters-in-law Neva (Chuck) Auenson and Alice (Walt) Gensmer; nieces Kari (Mary) Lehmann, Gail (Kevin) Ruddy, Steve Gensmer and Frank (Julie) Auenson and their family members. Visitation is Saturday, June 15 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Caledonia from 9 to 11 a.m. with the Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. with luncheon to follow. Internment is at St. Luke’s United Church of Christ church cemetery in Eitzen, next to her husband, Dell.