Lois Elaine Franz, 76

On Dec. 13, 2014, Lois Elaine (Brooks) Franz received the call from our Lord they were short an angel and she was called home early.

Lois was born on March 7, 1938, in Priest River, Idaho, to Fred and Edna Brooks. She was one of nine children, and grew up in the "Bear Paw" near Priest River. Because she lost her mother at a very early age, Lois became one of the main caretakers of the family.

Lois met and married the love of her life, James "Jim" Franz, and the two were married for over 50 years. They moved to Wichita, Kan., and started building their lives. Their family grew to include Kristi, Mary, Katherine, Jamie, James II, and Susan.

Lois was an accomplished ceramist and teacher in the arts, and shared her extensive knowledge with countless students. Lois received her national certification as a ceramic instructor from Montclair College in New Jersey. One of her greatest accomplishments was a larger than life statue of Christ carrying his cross to Calvary, which she designed and erected in the courtyard of her church in Wichita. The sculpture, named "Shared Burdens Made Light," was selected by a committee from the Smithsonian Institution and is officially a part of the Smithsonian collection of fine art.

It was always Lois' dream to return to the Pacific Northwest, and in the fall of 1988 her dream was fulfilled. After retirement, Lois returned to the area and settled in Hayden Lake, Idaho. Lois continued to teach art and ceramics from her home, and then an opportunity to own her own retail business became available. Lois, Jim, and daughter Susan opened Extra! Extra! in 1990, and they grew to have two locations in Coeur d'Alene and Spokane until Jim's illness forced the close of the business in 1996.

Never one to slow down, Lois began a career at the Coeur d'Alene Home Depot store and was able to bring her artistic talents into her job designing kitchens and bathrooms. During this time, Jim passed away and Lois continued her work at Home Depot in the appliance department where she worked full time up to her passing.

Lois always had a giving heart and spent time working as a CASA volunteer and a juvenile court appointed liaison. She was the founder of the Huggy Bear Foundation which supplied stuffed animals for distribution to children involved in accidents, police interventions, or social service referrals. She collected new and gently used stuffed animals, had them cleaned as necessary, and provided them to police agencies, social service agencies, and veterans at the VA Hospital.

She was active in the social service sorority, Beta Sigma Phi, where she served in a variety of positions from Secretary to President. A group of members went on to form another social group, The Forget-Me-Nots, which was a great outlet for the joy and sunshine she dispensed freely to others.

Lois was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, in April 2007; grandson Nicholas, in 1990; brothers Steve and Robert; and sister Betty.

Lois is survived by daughters Kristi Walker, Mary Franz, Katherine Fiessinger, Jamie Pharis, and Susan Broadhead; son James R. Franz, II; siblings John "Jack" Brooks, David Brooks, Ralph Brooks and Joyce Keeling; nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren (with one on the way).

Please come and celebrate her life at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 27, at Lutheran Church of the Master (The Gathering Place) at 4800 N. Ramsey Road in Coeur d'Alene.

English Funeral Chapel of Coeur d'Alene has been entrusted to handle final arrangements. Please visit Lois' online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.