Donald Franciscus

Don Franciscus Des Moines Don Franciscus, 79, died peacefully June 11th at MercyOne Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 16th at St. Pius X Catholic Church with burial to follow at Glendale Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 15th at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home, 8201 Hickman Road. Don, son of LaVerne and Dorothy (Sperry) Franciscus, was born July 18, 1941 in Mankato, Minnesota. He was married to Kathi Lewinsky on April 12th, 1969 in Chicago, Illinois. They were blessed with 52 years of marriage and a loving family. In a military family, Don attended several schools before graduating from Richfield High School in 1959. Soon after, his family was deployed to Tokyo, Japan where Don attended Sophia University. Don joined the Minnesota National Guard in 1964. Don spent the majority of his career in the grocery industry, culminating in Franciscus Super Valu of Little Falls, MN. He finished his career as a commercial agent for Federated Insurance until he retired to live on a lake in Northern Minnesota. He and Kathi moved to Des Moines in 2017. An avid fisherman, Don was proud of catching his largest fish on Lake Sakkakawea. Ever at home on a Minnesota lake, Don taught his children and grandchildren how to drive a boat, how to waterski, and how to fish. He enjoyed hunting, flying model airplanes and Minnesota Vikings games. His interests included cars, motorcycles, boats and other outdoor activities. Don is survived by his wife, Kathi; son Mark (Zoe), daughter Jill Tigges; granddaughters, Ellie, Sophia, Claudia, Zoey, Ada; brother, Jerry; sisters Barb Bouljon and Cheryl Paulson (Cornie). Online condolences may be left at www.caldwellparrish.com