Obituary of Frances M. Lood

Frances Marion Lood of Cambridge, MN passed away on Tuesday, January 16, 2018 at Rosewood Senior Living in Cambridge, at the age of 95 years.

            She was born June 20, 1922 in Cambridge to John and Elsie (Treichel) Paulson, the fifth of their 15 children.  Frances grew up in rural Isanti County, and she survived typhoid fever at the age of 13, being hospitalized at University Hospital for three months.  After two years of high school she did domestic work in Minneapolis and then came back to Cambridge to work at the Woolen Mills on the knitting machines.

            Frances was married to Laurence A. Lood on June 26, 1942 at the Cambridge Lutheran Church Parsonage.  In 1947 they purchased a farm in Springvale Township and raised two children.  Frances assisted in the dairy farm work, and always had beautiful flower gardens.  She was employed by the Minnesota State Hospital in Cambridge for thirty years as a laundry supervisor. 

            She was an active 4-H leader and member of Cambridge Lutheran Church for many years.  During her retirement years she was active in the Isanti County Historical Society, MCCL, her quilt club, and she volunteered many hours at the Cambridge Memorial (Allina) Hospital Gift Shop.  She made numerous quilts and Raggedy Ann dolls as gifts for her family and friends.  Her knitting projects included a sweater she knit after obtaining fleece from a neighbor’s sheep, and then washing and carding the wool before spinning the yarn.

            Frances and Laurence enjoyed traveling “out West”, to Alaska and Canada, and spent retirement winters near McAllen, TX before Laurence passed away in 1996.  At the age of 79, Frances earned her GED, and the following year she earned her first college credit at Cambridge Community College when she enrolled in the travel-study program which included coursework and a 10-day trip to Sweden with Glenn and Karen and other class members.  In 2007 she moved from her farm home to East Terrace Co-op in Cambridge.

            She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, brothers Albert, Bob, Lyle, John, Art, and Kenneth Paulson, sisters Grace Anderson, Blanch Findell, Betty Lood and Dorothy Ekins.     Frances is survived by daughter Judy (David) Hanson, son Glenn (Karen) Lood, grandchildren Deborah (Jay Nelson) Hanson, Jeffrey (Karen) Hanson, Bradley (Kate Johnson) Hanson, Christina Lood, Erik (Margaret) Lood, Alison (Andy) Romstad, 18 great grandchildren and 9 great great grandchildren.  Also survived by brothers Paul and James Paulson, sisters Margie Lewis and Doris Mott, many nieces, nephews and friends.

            Frances’ family is grateful to the staff at Rosewood Senior Living and St. Croix Hospice for their compassionate care.

A Celebration of Frances' life will be held at 1PM, Friday, January 19, 2018 at Cambridge Lutheran Church.  Visitation will be from 5-7PM, Thursday, January 18, 2018 at Carlson-Lillemoen Funeral Home.  Interment will be in Cambridge Lutheran Cemetery.