Frances Dolores Decker

She was born on July 2, 1928 to Frank and Carolyn (Meyer) Decker in Buffalo, Minnesota. She grew up on what the family called the “Big Farm” on the north side of Buffalo Lake, where the Davis addition is now.

Fran attended Buffalo High School where she played girl basketball as well as clarinet in the band. After graduation in 1946, she enrolled in St. Paul Bible Institute and College, majoring in Theology and graduated in 1951, and in Christian education in 1958. She took courses at St. Cloud State College, in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She had earned a master’s degree in religious education from New York University in New York City in 1964. Her gifts, talents and education were shared in churches in the Twin Cities area, witnessing to and touching the lives of many children and their families.

Fran moved to Chicago to work in the denominational offices in the Department of Christian Education as the director of mobile ministry and field service from 1971 to 1980. Throughout that time, she traveled to 400 Covenant churches in nearly every state to help develop Christian education programs. Fran then returned to congregational ministry, serving as associate pastor and minister of Christian education at Salem Covenant Church in New Brighton, Minnesota

Answering the call that she had felt as a young woman, she entered seminary at North Park Theology Seminary in Chicago. In 1986, Fran was one of the first women to be ordained by the Covenant Church. In 2008, she reflected on the changes in the denomination. “I’m just grateful that the Covenant saw the value in blessing women for ministry,” she said. Salem Covenant Church and Brookdale Covenant Church were blessed with her ministry.

In 1992, she began serving as chaplain at Bethany Covenant Home, a senior care facility in Minneapolis, a post she would continue for many years, even after 2012, when Bethany was sold by the Evangelical Covenant Church. In 2008, Fran was honored at a party to celebrate her 50 years of consecutive ministry and her 80th birthday. Over 200 people attended. At the time, Fran called the celebration “a powerful affirmation of me and my ministry.” She continued working long after others would have retired. “My call is to be faithful to the Lord,” she said. “Until he frees me to leave, I’ll be here.”

Fran relished traveling with her sister Lucille and brother Donald. She and Lucille accomplished their goal of seeing all 7 continents, bringing home treasures and memories to share. At one of the annual family picnics, she displayed the flags of each country from which our ancestors came.

One of Fran’s passions was compiling the Decker and Meyer Family Trees. She organized family stories, recipes and photos and placed them in albums. Each summer at our picnic we’d enjoy seeing the photos of grandparents, great grandparents and great-great grandparents and share new photos and stories.

Fran lived at Covenant Living of Golden Valley for her final years. Fran was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Carolyn Decker, (Buffalo), brothers: Kenneth, (Buffalo), Gahart, (Monticello) and Donald, (Buffalo/Chicago). She is survived by her sister, Lucille Decker, (Buffalo/Princeton) and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be held at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery, 2250 Saint Anthony Pkwy, Minneapolis, MN 55418 on Thursday, September 3, at 10:00 AM, with the funeral following at 11:00 AM.