Frances “Fran” Olinger, 74, passed away on March 27, 2023, after a series of illnesses at a long-term care facility in Great Falls, MT. At her request, the family will hold a small private memorial service. Fran was born in Great Falls on October 13, 1948, to Donald and Edith (Leona) Frank.
She grew up in Sand Coulee, graduating from Centerville High School in 1967. In 1971, she moved to Conrad to work as a secretary for the Army Corps of Engineering’s anti-ballistic missiles.
There, she met the love of her life, William “Bill” Olinger. They married on June 23, 1973, at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Great Falls. The newlyweds moved to North Dakota for a brief period of time until moving to Sierra Vista, Arizona in 1974 for Bill’s job.
Bill and Fran had three children, Don, Shari, and Luci. Fran was a stay at home mom for a number of years until Bill retired. In 1987, the two flipped roles. Fran attended University of Arizona, where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She continued her education at Arizona State University, where she graduated with her Master’s Degree in Social Work. Fran pursued her Social Work career at various heath care facilities in Arizona.
In 1993, the family moved back to Montana to be closer to loved ones. Fran began working as a Social Worker in the Nursing Home for Deaconess Hospital in 1994. She had a passion for helping people, so Social Work was the perfect career for her. She continued to work for Deaconess until the merger with what is now Benefis. She worked as a Social Worker for various units until she was forced to step away from the career she loved due to health reasons.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the O'Connor Funeral Home website.
TRENDING
- Killer of JoAnn Malone identified
- 'Knitting Club' at Great Falls school
- Great Falls murder victim identified
- PIX: Aurora Borealis in Montana sky
- Recent obituaries on KRTV
FOLLOW KRTV: Instagram | TikTok | Twitter
