In Memory

Frances Hagberg (Graham)

Frances Hagberg (Graham)

 

 

 

Frances Kay Hagberg Graham, age 76 of Crystal Bay, Minnesota and Rio Chama, New Mexico died on August 1, 2023, at Fairview University Medical Center in Minneapolis.  

 

Frances was the only daughter and first child of Reverend Gordon Wayne Hagberg and Ruth Charlotte Werner Hagberg, both of whom predeceased her. She was born on October 25, 1946, in Estherville, Iowa, and grew up in Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio as her father’s ministry moved the family.

 

Frances graduated from Lakewood High School in Lakewood, Ohio in 1964 and Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio in 1968. After graduation from Oberlin, she moved to Cocoa, Florida where she was an elementary school teacher. In 1969, she married Thomas Howard Graham. Throughout the next few years she lived in various states, delving into roles as a social worker and systems analyst before a subsequent move to Minnesota where Frances found a passion for law. She attended William Mitchell School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota, graduating in 1978. She took much pride in her practice of labor, employment and school law with the firm Peterson, Popovich, Knutson and Flynn.

 

At the age of 39 in 1986, Frances married the love of her life, “Bob,” Dr. Robert Jerome Gumnit. After a few years practicing law on her own, she became the Chief Operating Officer of the medical practice her husband had previously started, MINCEP Epilepsy Care, a nationally known fourth level seizure care practice. Bob and Frances worked tirelessly to improve knowledge and understanding of epilepsy and its treatment. They complemented each others skills and expertise and loved their work together. MINCEP was incorporated into the University of Minnesota at the time of their retirement in 2012.

 

Frances was also active in championing the causes she was passionate about. She served as a member of the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission and gave her time and financial support to multiple conservation and equal rights causes over the years.

 

In addition to her career and volunteer accomplishments, Frances and Bob shared a life-long love of studying history, reading, and artwork, providing much fodder for long discussions on a variety of topics. Frances also found great joy in and nurtured her relationships with family, friends and her many equine, canine and feline family members over the years.

 

Frances is survived by her brothers Robert (Susan) Hagberg of Buffalo, MN, and Carlton (Marie) Hagberg of Hendersonville, NC, as well as her nieces and nephews, Tessa (Jeff) Walter, Kai Hagberg, Andrew (Danielle) Hagberg, and Alison (Deytr) Francisco, as well as 6 great nieces and nephews and numerous cousins and friends.

 

A Celebration of Life will be held this fall, on a yet to be determined date. 

https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000465604/?fullname=frances-kay-hagberg-graham



 
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09/23/23 11:09 AM #1    

Herbert Ziegler

Frankie was kind, direct and open about her feelings and opinions—always heartfelt and articulate. She was easy to talk with, about personal things, politics, policy, and everyday things. This is the age of loss, but as each bell tolls It hits me hard—Frankie’s death particularly hard. Frankie was a good friend, a soulmate. Through the years we kept in touch sporadically, getting together several times. We reconnected at the 50th, both having recently lost our spouses, and worked on reviving our friendship. I miss her.


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