Frances Martha (nee Luke) Schiefelbein 1928 ~ 2017

SEELEY LAKE - Frances Martha Schiefelbein was born at home to Frank and Martha Luke Nov. 18, 1928, in St. Clair Shores, Mich.

She attended Lutheran parochial grade schools in Detroit, East Detroit and Ft. Wayne, Ind. Her junior high and high school years were spent at Lakeview High School in St. Clair Shores and Southeastern High in Detroit. She was active in music and drama groups. As a child, she presented marionette shows and monologues for various groups.

After graduating as a member of the National Honor Society, she attended Concordia University in River Forest, Ill. She taught in Lutheran Day Schools in Anaheim, Calif.; Faribault, Minn.; and St. Louis, Mo., where she married seminary graduate Rev. Herbert Schiefelbein. Together they served many congregations in Washington, Oregon, Minnesota and Montana for more than 50 years, finally retiring in Seeley Lake.

In 2008, they settled in Billings. They were the parents of seven children. In addition to her love of her God, her family and her churches, she loved animals, especially dogs.

Fran was preceded in death by her parents; her oldest son Rev. Dennis Schiefelbein; her brother Rev. Harold Luke; and a granddaughter Kali Joy Bishea.

She is survived by her husband of 65 years the Rev. Herbert Schiefelbein. She is also survived by her remaining six children and their spouses: Cathryn and Rev. Daniel Rinderknecht of Billings; Carol and John Covey of Mapleton, Minn.; Jessica and Douglas Bishea of Tomball, Texas; David Schiefelbein and Lenora Edwards of Seattle, Wash.; Douglas and Kimberly Schiefelbein of Amboy, Minn.; and Camille and James Browne of Billings, Mont. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, several nieces and nephews, her brother-in-law and his wife Ed and Ruth Schiefelbein of Grafton, Wisc.

Frances looked forward, as she grew older, to being with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in heaven. She died in the Christian faith on July 22, 2017.

Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church and School, Riverstone Health Hospice, or the donor's choice.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Larry Severa and the staff at Riverstone Hospice House for all the kind, caring and loving tenderness shown to Fran.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Trinity Lutheran Church and school or the charity of one's choice.

Condolences may be left for the family at smithfuneralchapels.com.