Matthew Charles Frantz - Rice Lake FD
Matthew Charles Frantz, Fire Chief - December 9, 2013
NOTICE (12 Oct 2014): Chief Matthew Charles Frantz from the Rice Lake Township Volunteer Fire Department will be honored during the 2014 National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. He will be among the other 106 firefighters to be honored.
Roll of Honor notice is posted at www.firehero.org/fallen-firefighter/matthew-c-frantz/
Watch the 2014 National Fallen Firefighters Memorial service. The service is broadcast on Sunday, October 12, 2014 9:30 am - 12:00 p.m. EDT (Streaming Begins at 9:30 a.m.; Service Begins at 10 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time)
Matthew Charles Frantz, 42, of Rice Lake Township, passed away unexpectedly while at work on Dec. 9, 2013, in Duluth.
He was born June 8, 1971, in St. Paul and grew up in the Woodland neighborhood. Matt graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1989 and from Lake Superior College in Duluth in 1996 with a degree in fire technology and administration.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1991-93, during which time he served abroad in Korea. After that he was a reservist in the Army National Guard until 1998, when he achieved the rank of Sergeant.
Matt was hired as a driver for UPS in 1994, and worked there until his death.
In early 1995, Matt met the love of his life, Jennifer Williams, and married her on Aug. 29, 1998, in Duluth.
In 2000, Matt joined the Rice Lake Volunteer Fire Department and was named fire chief in 2009. His passion for this particular organization and cause was deep and well known to all who knew him. Some of Matt’s closest and dearest friendships were formed with the men and women who fought fires alongside him as volunteers with the fire department.
He was an avid outdoorsman and loved fishing, hunting and camping. Mostly he loved doing all those things with members of his family and is missed deeply by many. He absolutely loved getting together with family and helped plan many gatherings throughout the years. He was a good son, who was very good to his mom and dad and very helpful.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Bill and Luella Quade and Dorothy and Melvin Frantz; his uncle Rick Frantz; and cousins Joshua Alvar and Isaiah and Mason Alvar.
Matt is survived by his wife, Jennifer; daughters Kirsten (Austin Hansen) and Madeline; mother Linda Quade of Duluth; father Timothy Frantz (Sharon Field) of Duluth; mother- and father-in-law, Lauralie and Rick Heckman of Superior; siblings Jason and Dawn Frantz and Eric and Tammy Frantz, all of Duluth, Adam and Tricia Frantz of Blaine, Minn., April Williams (Dan Thomas) of Superior; Roddi and Ryan Turgeson of Cameron, Wis., Nathaniel and Heather Khalar of Duluth and Casey Heckman of Superior; nieces and nephews Molly, Tyler, Ian, Josslyn, Grace, Addie, Elizabeth, Hailie, Aiden, Aaron, Cashton, Michael, Meg, Miley, Destiny and Brianna; great-nephew Lukas; and several cousins and many other relatives and friends.
Matt’s family would like to thank the Midway Township First Responders for doing everything they could to help him
Visitation: From 4 - 7 p.m. with 6:30 p.m. wake prayers Friday (12/13/2013) in St. John's Church, 4230 St. John's Ave., Duluth
Funeral Service: Visitation will continue from 10 until the 11 a.m. Mass of Christian burial Saturday (12/14/2013) . Military honors by the Duluth Honor Guard and Fire Honors will follow. Memorials are preferred and may be directed to Matt’s family for Kirsten and Madeline’s education. Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, (218) 727-3555.
A fund has been established for the family of Fallen Rice Lake Township Fire Chief, Matt Frantz. The fund will be used for immediate family needs and the future educational needs of Chief's Frantz's two daughters.
Make checks payable to: "Fire Chief Matt Frantz Memorial Fund" and send to:
Fire Chief Matt Frantz Memorial Fund
c/o North Shore Bank of Commerce
17 East Calvary Rd
Duluth, MN 55803