Franklin Joseph Pierce died Thursday, Dec. 7, 2006, at Prairie Manor in Blooming Prairie, Minn.

Memorial services for Franklin J. Pierce, age 89, formerly of Geneva, Minn., will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006, at the Community Lutheran Church in Geneva.

The Rev. Joel Xavier will officiate. Interment will be in the Geneva Cemetery with Military Honors accorded by the area servicemen&8217;s organizations. Visitation is one hour prior to the services at the church.

Franklin Joseph Pierce was born June 14, 1917, to Manford and Edna (Franklin) Pierce in Staples, Minn. They moved to the Geneva area when he was a child and he attended school in Geneva.

Franklin served in the United States Army 1942-1945, serving in France and the Rhineland. He had been a driver for Gen. George Patton. On Nov. 17, 1945, Franklin was united in marriage to Helen Benson in Albert Lea. He worked as a buttermaker at several creameries in the area including Clarks Grove, Hope, Mansfield, Lerdahl, Wis., and retired as the manager of the Geneva Creamery in 1982.

Franklin was a member of the Community Lutheran Church and the VFW. He enjoyed woodworking, playing golf, bowling, fishing, and spending time outdoors.

Survivors include his wife, Helen of Geneva; children: Larry and wife, Joni Pierce of Owatonna, Susan and husband, John Hohansee of New Richland Minn., and Mary Lund of Geneva and special friend, Steve DeFor; grandchildren: Lori (Tom) Leeman, Jodie (Andy) Waalkens, Kari (Jeremy) Hohansee, Amy (Shannon) Vandersyde, Tami (Matt) Wacek, Rhonda Lund, and Jesse Lund; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters, Phyllis (George) Drimel of Fla., and Rachael (John) Stoffel of Pine City, Minn.; brother, Mikel (Pat) Pierce; and many nieces and nephews.

Franklin was preceded in death by his parents; son, Alan; son-in-law, Norman Lund; brothers: Reuben, Donald, Clarence, and Harold; and sister, Sylvia Jordon.