Middle River - Frances Meland, 91, died Thursday, May 20, 1999 at the CNC unit of Northwest Medical Center in Thief River Falls.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 22 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Middle River with Father Don Braukmann officiating. Cathy Erickson was the organist. Casketbearers were Joe Bukowski, Harold Polansky, Eugene Polansky, Gary Polansky, Mark Polansky, Russ Iverson and Gerald Pribula. Burial was in St. Joseph's Cemetery. The Green Funeral Home of Thief River Falls was in charge of the arrangements.
Frances A. Polansky was born on January 28, 1908 in Whiteford township of Marshall county, the daughter of Michael and Bertha (Lambert) Polansky. She was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic church at Jane and attended Johnson School in Whiteford township. Frances graduated from high school in Middle River. She then attended teacher's training and taught in the rural Grygla and Pinewood areas.
On June 19, 1935 she was united in marriage to John Meland at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Thief River Falls. The couple lived in Gatzke where Frances taught school and John farmed. During the 1940's they moved to Middle River, and she continued her teaching career in the Erskine and Plummer schools.
She was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church and was a former member of the Catholic Daughters.
Frances is survived by one sister, Sister Casmir "Anne" Polansky of Crookston; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and special caregivers, the Polanskys.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John, on May 7, 1997; one infant daughter, Helen; four sisters, Edith Robinson, Helen Pribula, Sophie Bernstein and Elizabeth Wardeski; and two brothers, Henry Polansky and Joseph Polansky.
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