Paul Murray Franta

Paul Murray Franta went to his Heavenly Home on Friday, December 19, to be reunited with his beloved daughter, Michelle. Paul was diagnosed with CMML (leukemia) on May 1 of this year. From the start he was warned that the odds were less than 50% for him. He said he was going to be one of the people that beat it. Paul fought a courageous battle and was willing to try anything to beat it, even participating in clinical trials in Rochester. It was quite a blow when he was told that the starting date for the trials had been pushed back. As hard as Paul fought, leukemia was just too strong an opponent.
Paul did not have an easy life. It was a rough road for him from birth until the end. He began life with cerebral palsy and when he was 18 months old his parents were told that he might not be able to walk or talk. Paul proved them wrong by showing the same strength and determination to overcome obstacles that he carried with him through life. It was an especially hard day for him when he was told of his daughter’s death on his birthday.
Paul was born March 10, 1950 to Jean (Richter) and Francis Franta, Jr. in St. Paul, MN. He attended St Peter's Catholic School in North St Paul, Hill High School in Maplewood, and graduated in 1968 from North St Paul High School. He earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.
On November 24, 1990, he married Laura Leann Turner, who has been his steady and faithful comfort, especially during his battle with cancer.
During his college years Paul worked for G.C. Murphy Company. Upon graduating, he used his engineering degree at Control Data. He later moved to Chippewa Falls to work for Cray Research. When Cray Research downsized Paul turned to selling cars and worked for Ken Vance Motors and later Marquardt Motors. Paul loved to learn new things and earned his real estate license in 1991. Upon graduation he immediately received a job offer from Century 21 in Eau Claire. That agency dissolved and he went on to work for Coldwell Banker Bugher & Brenizer. With his experience in the computer industry, Paul later went to work for Hutchinson Technology and then at his current position at Harmon Solutions in Eau Claire. He made many friends there and many of them found different ways to help him out as the last few years were difficult for him to get around. Some people even cleared off his car and shoveled the snow away from it to help him out. There was something about Paul that made people want to help him.
Paul loved cars and had a “54 Chevy for many years. He also loved dancing. It was at Wagner’s 66 ½ Lanes that he met his wife, Laura. They spent many hours on the dance floor together. He loved music and had an enormous music collection. One of his parakeets was a music lover with a very particular taste in music. Paul loved to see which songs his bird would sing to. Besides music, Paul loved doing different things with the computer. He would spend numerous hours working on some computer program or trying different things with his music.
Paul was dearly loved and will be missed by his wife, Laura, of Lake Hallie, his parents, Francis and Jean (Richter) Franta of Maplewood, Minnesota, brother Mark (Patricia Schlief) Franta of Roberts, and sister MaryAnn (James) Moenck of Dresser, his nephew Will Franta, mother-in-law, Janice Turner and in-laws, John and Teresa Turner. Paul was preceded in death by his daughter, Michelle Franta, father-in-law, Kenneth Turner, paternal grandparents Francis, Sr, and Lucille (Cantieri) Franta, and maternal George and Naomi (Murray) Richter.
Funeral Services will be held on Tuesday, December 23, 2014 at 3:00 PM at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Bloomer with interment in Turner Cemetery. Friends may call from 4:00 – 7:00 on Monday at the Olson Funeral home in Bloomer and one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday.