Francis Carnahan
July 23, 1931 — Dec. 22, 2024
Funeral services for Francis Ivan Carnahan, 93, of Sutherland, who passed away on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, at his residence. His funeral service will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, at Sutherland United Methodist Church with Pastor John Wesley officiating. Burial with military rights will be at Waterman Cemetery in Sutherland. Visitation with family present will be from 4-6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at the Eldridge Family Funeral Home in Paullina.
Fran, the son of Ernest and Elsie Muckler Carnahan, was born July 23, 1931, on an acreage northwest of Paullina. He attended country school as well as Primghar and Gaza consolidated schools before his family settled in Sutherland in 1943. He graduated from Sutherland High school in 1950.
A strong work ethic led Fran to begin working after school and summers by the age of 13. He helped area farmers and was employed by Brown’s Gas Station. He later worked for M & JR Hackes grocery delivery and Phil Jordan’s Trading Post. In 1951 he enlisted in the United States Navy and served during the Korean War. His four-year service as an engineman/diver included time stationed in California as well as two years at the Subic Bay Naval Base, a repair, supply and logistics station located in the Philippines. He was honorably discharged in 1955.
On June 11, 1955, he married his high school sweetheart, Marjorie Ann Martin. To this union, five children were born. The following years were busy ones, working and raising a family. A large garden was planted, maintained and canned for several decades. Even after the kids had grown, Fran and Marge continued to garden, sharing fresh vegetables with their family and friends. Fran thoroughly enjoyed attending school activities and sporting events for his children, grandchildren and most recently, great grandchildren. Even in his 90s he never turned down an invitation to attend one of their games and was certain the hotdogs always tasted best at a ballpark!
Fran’s hobbies through the years were numerous. Fishing, hunting, dancing, bowling, gardening, bicycling and card games were favorite pastimes. Music often filled the small Carnahan home. Having impeccable rhythm, you could find him dancing in the living room, teaching his kids how to polka and waltz. Outside, he was always up for a game of Horse or “21” and was the first one chosen when selecting family teams! He was a fast runner and could out-sprint them all, well into his 30s!
Fran worked for the Creameries of Sutherland, Alta and Sanborn before accepting a job in 1974 with, O’Brien County Secondary roads, where he worked until his retirement in 1995. He loved plowing snow with his Motor-Grader. He often laughed and admitted that the snow was much easier to move with his Grader than the years he attempted to plow through it with his creamery milk truck!
Francis was a member of the Sutherland United Methodist Church and the Sutherland American Legion. In 1987 he was nominated and chosen as the KICD Father’s Day, “Celebrity for a day,” recipient. He also served as Sutherland’s Grand Marshal in the 2022 Labor Day parade.
Honored to call Sutherland his home, he enjoyed sitting down with family and friends, over a warm cup of coffee or a cold beer, sharing the many changes he had witnessed while spending his entire life in O’Brien County. His stories were interesting and insightful with a Carnahan spin that always included humor!
Preceding him in death were his wife of 61 years, Marjorie; his parents; all seven siblings: Muriel, Evelyn, Marjorie, Gerald, Donald, Robert and James; also in-laws, Gerald and Marie Martin.
Left to cherish his memory are his five children and their spouses: Steven (Teresa) Carnahan of Primghar; Larry (Michele) Carnahan of Bovey, Minnesota; Linda (Michael) Bates of Spencer; Joanne (Daniel) Stamer of Paullina; and Sheryl (Jeff) Steffens of Primghar; 14 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; several step grandchildren and great grandchildren; other relatives and countless friends.
