Fran Dexter

Fran Dexter, 75, of Fargo, ND, passed away on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at Sheyenne Crossings, West Fargo, ND.

Frances Emily Dexter was born January 15, 1944 in Peru, NE to Murray and Adela (Jun) Williams. She grew up and attended schools in Peru, NE; Brock, NE and Colorado Springs, CO. She graduated from Wasson High School, Colorado Springs, CO in 1961. Fran then attended the University of Nebraska and graduated with a BS Degree in Business Teacher Education in 1965 and a Master’s Degree in Secondary Education in 1966. Fran was named the Future Business Teacher for Nebraska in 1965. She met Alan Dexter at college in 1964 and they were married on June 19, 1966 in Lincoln, NE. After Fran and Alan moved to Fargo in 1969, they had two daughters: Dawn, born in 1972 and Gail, born in 1975.

Fran’s first teaching job was as an undergraduate assistant at the University of Nebraska. She also taught college shorthand and transcription in a graduate teaching assistantship. She taught at Central High School, Champaign, IL from 1966 – 1969 and at Fargo South High School from 1969 – 1971. She spent her teaching savings on flying lessons and earned her private pilot’s license in 1972. From 1971 – 1987 she was a free-lance editor and typist, working mostly on theses and dissertations. She also worked in government and medical office settings. Fran taught Business Education courses at Moorhead State University from 1987 to 1994, serving as department chair for three years. She then taught Business Education at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN from 1994 until her retirement in 2006. Fran was a long-time member of Minnesota Business Educators, Inc., the International Association of Administrative Professionals and many other organizations. She was named Outstanding Post-Secondary Business Teacher of the Year in Minnesota in 2005. She could be seen driving around the FM area with her “BUS ED” license plate. She loved teaching and seeing where her students ended up.

Fran was a member of Faith United Methodist Church in north Fargo, and co-chaired its 25th and 50th anniversary celebrations. She also served as Financial Secretary, in the choir and on Trustees and Care Ministry committees. In the broader community, she created a babysitting co-op, was a United Way loaned executive, and served on the Emergency Food Pantry board. She also co-hosted 10 years of epic, themed wine-tasting parties.

In retirement, Fran took her volunteering south for the winters to Mesa, AZ’s Silveridge community. She and Alan enjoyed spending time with other Fargo snowbird friends as well as making new friends. There she served as Class Coordinator, Program Chair and President of the Computer Club, Treasurer of the Sunshine Friends, Treasurer and Membership Chair of the Renter’s Association and captained her tennis team. She was not one for sitting still or letting prior cancer diagnoses in 1999, 2008 or 2015 slow her down.

Fran is survived by her husband, Alan; daughters, Dawn (Rich Swanson) and Gail; nephew, Jeff Deaver (Amy); niece, Jolene Svoboda (Ken); and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Joan and Jim Deaver.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Adela and Murray Williams; and her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Elvira and Gerald Dexter.

Memorials are preferred to Faith United Methodist Church or Hospice of the Red River Valley.