Frances P. Ziebarth age 91 of Miles City.

Frances Pauline Ziebarth passed away peacefully with her family by her side January 9, 2020.

Frances was born February 5, 1928 at Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City, Montana. She was the fifth of seven children born to John and Maryann (Zabrocki) Losinski.

Frances grew up on the family ranch, Wasan Flats, Montana, northeast of the Little Dry. She attended school in Cohagen, Montana.  During the school year, her parents and older siblings were away.  She spent her seventh and eighth grade year tending to her two younger siblings, Joe and Stella.  The three of them lived in a tar paper shack where she mastered cooking on a coal stove.  She told of her mom and dad making a lone trip by horse drawn sleigh to bring the much-needed supplies.  She had learned hard work, a strong will and determination at a young age and these attributes never left her.

Frances graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Miles City, Montana in 1947. During that time she was active in the Civil Air Patrol, later working for George Foster of Foster Drug, the telephone company, and for Leo and Ruby Keilman Distributing.

Frances married Walter E. Ziebarth October 8, 1949. The first years of their marriage were spent between Miles City and Popular, Montana in a little travel trailer while Walt worked road construction.  Eventually they settled in Miles City, where Walt built a home for them by Frances’ design.  At the time, Walt worked for Reeds Radiator Repair on 7^th Street.  It was during that time that Walt was diagnosed with cancer and countless trips were made to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  Walt did recover and they were able to purchase Reed’s Radiator Repair.  They changed the name to Ziebarth Radiator and Brake and while Walt fixed the cars, Frances kept the books.  She was a devout Catholic and would often be seen praying the rosary throughout the day. She often said it was her Catholic Faith and the rosary that got her through Walt’s cancer scare and recovery.

In those early years, Frances greatly enjoyed her nieces and nephews. While her brother Hubert was ill, she and Walt took their niece and nephew Bob and Carol Losinski under their wings.  Bob tells of times spent with Aunt Frances and Uncle Walter, camping and fishing in the Beartooth’s and going to Yellowstone Park, while their mother, Jenny attended summer teaching school.  As Bob and Carol grew into their own, Fran and Walt felt a longing for children of their own.  On a crisp October morning 1962, Fran received the call from Catholic Charities adoption program.  After waiting 10 long years, they were to receive their baby girl, Dianna Marie.  Four years later, in December of 1966, another call would announce the arrival of a baby Boy, Walter Gerard would complete their family.  Frances was not only a devoted spouse, but a nurturing mother and grandmother.  She would often be found in the rocking chair reading story books with her children and later her grandkids.  She took great pride in her children and grandchildren following them to concerts or ballgames, always cheering them on.

Frances was an expert cook and seamstress. If she wasn’t making clothes for the kids, she was making fancy band uniforms for “Uncle Walt’s Old Timers” or “Uncle Walt’s Versatiles,” a little band she and Walt Sr. put together with Speed Melville and Dale and Toni Hardy.  Frances played the drums and guitar in their little ensemble.  They played at the Log Cabin Bar and the VFW in Miles City and traveled to the Baker/Plevna area for an occasional hoedown.  Fran and Walt participated in the Muriel Cooksey yearly accordion jamboree, an event they thoroughly enjoyed, and would bring their music to the local nursing homes.  Always sporting a cheery red lip, they enjoyed playing lively music with a beat.  They loved playing music together and they weren’t too shabby on the dance floor either.

After the kids were grown, Frances took on a little babysitting, caring for her two grandchildren, some of the younger neighborhood kids and a few relatives. Fran and Walt were always quick to open their home, even taking in a couple of live-in clients for a period of time.

Frances took great pride in her cooking, baking and chokecherry wine making abilities, her wine even winning a blue ribbon at the Eastern Montana Fair. Frances’ children and grandchildren would all agree that at Christmas time Almond Roca was her specialty.  On one occasion, she and daughter Dianne had made several batches.  Forgetting she had left the sheets to cool on top of the car, Frances took off to the hardware store for a candy thermometer.  It wasn’t’ until she got back that she noticed the toffee on top of the car, all sheets still, surprisingly, intact.  The story still brings a laugh as Dianne continues the Roca tradition each Christmas time.

After Walt Sr’s passing in 1997, Frances continued to lead exercise class at the drop-in center. A chance encounter at the grocery store, she met Lily Smith.  During their brief conversation, Lily informed Frances that she was visiting her elderly mother who was living at home by herself on Rosebud Creek.  She was looking for a temporary in-home care attendant for her.  Frances offered her services and a few weeks turned into a few years.  This random encounter developed into a friendship that lasted until Fran’s recent passing.  The Church continued to be a big part of her life.  If she wasn’t attending mass along with her niece Joanne Richardson, she would often be seen “hoofing it” to daily and Saturday evening mass.

She lived in the home that she and Walt had built until November 2017. She then moved to Holy Rosary Extended Care where she found several of her acquaintances and friends from childhood were now neighbors once again.  Frances rarely missed a game of Bingo, Pokeno or Yahtzee, still always sporting her signature red lipstick.  The staff say that each morning she greeted them with “Top of the morning to you!”

Frances always took the time to remind her family that she loved them. She loved being a mother and grandmother and was overjoyed when she found out that she was to be a great-grandmother as well.  Two great-grandsons were born to the family in June and October of 2019.  While she was not able to meet them in person, she was able to see and hear them via facetime just weeks before she passed away.

Frances is survived by her children, Dianna (Jim) Smith, Walter Jr. (Michelle) Ziebarth, grandchildren, Josh (Michaela) Quinlan, Taneasha Quinlan, Angel (Matt) Thompson, two great-grandsons, Micah Quinlan and Atlas Thompson. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Walter, brothers Conrad, Hubert, Lawrence and Joseph, sisters Wanda and Stella.

Special thank you to niece and nephew, who were there countless times over the years Joanne Richardson, Greg (Linda) Losinski, to Holy Rosary Extended Care Nurses, Nursing Assistants and Hospice Nursing Staff, Deacons Tony Sandau and Bill (Donna) Zachmann.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2020 from 1:00-6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City followed by a Rosary/Vigil service at 6:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, March 6, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Miles City.  Rite of Committal will follow in the Calvary Cemetery.  Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting:  www.stevensonandsons.com.

Service Schedule

Visitation

1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Thursday March 5, 2020

Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home

1717 Main Street

Miles City , Montana 59301

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Rosary & Vigil

6:00 p.m.

Thursday March 5, 2020

Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home

1717 Main Street

Miles City, Montana 59301

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Mass of Christian Burial

11:00 a.m.

Friday March 6, 2020

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

120 N. Montana Ave

Miles City, Montana 59301

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Rite of Committal

Following the Funeral Mass

Friday March 6, 2020

Calvary Cemetery

Cemetery Rd.

Miles City, Montana 59301

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