Franz Arn Barthel, 62, our dear husband, father, brother, uncle and friend, passed away in "his chair" on April 27, 2012, surrounded by love and grace. He was thankful for being able to spend his remaining days in the home he and Elaine designed, and Franz built.
Franz was born on Sept. 26, 1949, in Sacramento, Calif., to Harvey and Hedy Barthel. After high school, Franz traveled solo to Europe and Asia. He stayed in Finland for a year, washing dishes and learning the language. This experience started his lifelong love of language. He graduated from U.C. Davis with a degree in philosophy.
In 1980, he moved to Kalispell and worked at A-1 vacuum, repairing vacuums for 10 years. Franz worked hard on overcoming his shyness, through Toastmasters and co-counseling. He was able to become a successful Realtor for several years, with his friend, Bill Goodman. How can we forget "Fone Franz?"
In September 1992, Franz was proud to be able to retire, to spend more time with his family and friends. In the 1980s, he had invested in fixer-upper rental houses, which was a blessing as philosophers are not highly compensated. Also fortunate for Franz, was the fact that he was good with his hands, and could fix just about anything. Not a charmed life, but a pretty darn good one! Life was good.
In 1997, Franz married his best friend, Elaine Johnson. Together, they were able to adopt their beautiful daughter, Logan Marie Xiu Yan. Franz was passionate about providing for, and protecting his girls or "squirrels" as he called them. Franz was pleased, too, that his financial planning allowed Elaine to retire from counseling in 2006. As a family, they were able to travel and enjoy family and friends.
Through his entire dance with cancer, Franz had been grateful - grateful for his amazing wife Elaine, daughter Logan, and sister Lynn for their unwavering support and endless willingness to aid him through this demanding time. Franz was thankful for his other sister, Rita, and his dear friend Michael Jaworsky, and all his friends inside and outside the hiking community. He was also thankful for his amazing year, 2011, hiking and climbing in Glacier National Park with family and friends. Franz found his "tribe," and developed close relationships with his hiking buddies, especially Rod Graham and Blake Passmore. He was truly fortunate, in many ways. The list of things to be thankful for were endless to him. His mantra was, "Life is good!" He was comforted with the thought of his ashes becoming one with the places he so loved in nature.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey and Hedy Barthel; and nephew, Brett Guinn. He missed his mom's comfort foods and his dad's wise and mellow nature.
Franz is survived by his wife, Elaine Johnson; daughter, Logan Marie Barthel; and sisters, Rita Smith and husband Jim of Golden, Colo., and Lynn Barthel and husband Jeff Bott of Kalispell; nephew, Bob Guinn; niece, Rachel Cooley; and aunt, Artis Meyer.
The family would like to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers.
A celebration of Franz's life will be held at the family residence at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 2.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Foys to Blacktail Trails, P.O. Box 81, Kalispell, MT59903, or www.foystoblacktailtrails.org.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Franz Barthel, please visit our flower store.
Franz was born on Sept. 26, 1949, in Sacramento, Calif., to Harvey and Hedy Barthel. After high school, Franz traveled solo to Europe and Asia. He stayed in Finland for a year, washing dishes and learning the language. This experience started his lifelong love of language. He graduated from U.C. Davis with a degree in philosophy.
In 1980, he moved to Kalispell and worked at A-1 vacuum, repairing vacuums for 10 years. Franz worked hard on overcoming his shyness, through Toastmasters and co-counseling. He was able to become a successful Realtor for several years, with his friend, Bill Goodman. How can we forget "Fone Franz?"
In September 1992, Franz was proud to be able to retire, to spend more time with his family and friends. In the 1980s, he had invested in fixer-upper rental houses, which was a blessing as philosophers are not highly compensated. Also fortunate for Franz, was the fact that he was good with his hands, and could fix just about anything. Not a charmed life, but a pretty darn good one! Life was good.
In 1997, Franz married his best friend, Elaine Johnson. Together, they were able to adopt their beautiful daughter, Logan Marie Xiu Yan. Franz was passionate about providing for, and protecting his girls or "squirrels" as he called them. Franz was pleased, too, that his financial planning allowed Elaine to retire from counseling in 2006. As a family, they were able to travel and enjoy family and friends.
Through his entire dance with cancer, Franz had been grateful - grateful for his amazing wife Elaine, daughter Logan, and sister Lynn for their unwavering support and endless willingness to aid him through this demanding time. Franz was thankful for his other sister, Rita, and his dear friend Michael Jaworsky, and all his friends inside and outside the hiking community. He was also thankful for his amazing year, 2011, hiking and climbing in Glacier National Park with family and friends. Franz found his "tribe," and developed close relationships with his hiking buddies, especially Rod Graham and Blake Passmore. He was truly fortunate, in many ways. The list of things to be thankful for were endless to him. His mantra was, "Life is good!" He was comforted with the thought of his ashes becoming one with the places he so loved in nature.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey and Hedy Barthel; and nephew, Brett Guinn. He missed his mom's comfort foods and his dad's wise and mellow nature.
Franz is survived by his wife, Elaine Johnson; daughter, Logan Marie Barthel; and sisters, Rita Smith and husband Jim of Golden, Colo., and Lynn Barthel and husband Jeff Bott of Kalispell; nephew, Bob Guinn; niece, Rachel Cooley; and aunt, Artis Meyer.
The family would like to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers.
A celebration of Franz's life will be held at the family residence at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 2.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Foys to Blacktail Trails, P.O. Box 81, Kalispell, MT59903, or www.foystoblacktailtrails.org.