Frances Louise Reed

Frances Louise Reed, 88 of Duluth, MN, died on Saturday, April 12, 2025 in St. Mary's Medical Center. She was born in Duluth on April 28, 1936 to John S. and Josephine (Zuponcic) Reed. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister-in-law, Ruth Reed. She is survived by her brother, John R. Reed of Detroit, Michigan, many cousins, and friends. Fran had a love for cats, and adopted several throughout her life.

Frances attended Nettleton Elementary School, Sacred Heart Grade School and Duluth Cathedral High School, graduating as Valedictorian in 1954. She graduated from the College of St. Scholastica in 1958, with degrees in English and Music. She was the first recipient of the Sister Ann Edward Scanlon Award. In 1960, Fran earned her Masters Degree in English from the University of Minnesota. 

Fran's career included teaching at Federal prisons and as a Computer Programmer/Analyst in several U.S. Naval Shipyards. She retired in 1991 and returned to her childhood home in Duluth, to care for her mother. She lived in her family home until 2023, when she moved to assisted living. 

Fran's greatest love was her Catholic faith and it's liturgy and music. She received the Sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation in the former Sacred Heart Cathedral, which she always called her "second home". As a teenager at Sacred Heart, she was the Secretary of the Junior Legion of Mary, and began taking lessons on the Cathedral's historic 1898 A. B. Felgemaker pipe organ. Her love of music and service to the Church followed throughout her life. In 1984, it was announced that Sacred Heart Church would close the following year. Fran was a Trustee, and began to write a history of the church that resulted in a 64 page, full-color memorial book, "Sacred Heart Church". A copy was given to each registered adult parishioner after the closing Mass on September 29, 1985. She was a member of the ad hoc committee to save Sacred Heart from demolition, and served on the first Board of Directors of the Sacred Heart Music Center, in 1986. Fran saw her beloved cathedral and pipe organ preserved and gain national recognition. After the merger of Sacred Heart with nearby St. Mary, Star of the Sea, she served as Trustee, Organist, Choir Director, founded the church's Holy Innocents' Perpetual Adoration Chapel, and was a founding member of the Diocese of Duluth Disabilities Commission. Fran began her "second retirement" at age 75. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in Fran's memory may be made to the Sacred Heart Music Center, 201 W. 4th St, Duluth, ZMN 55806 "Felgemaker Organ" in memo, or to the Women's Care Center Duluth, Inc. 103 E. 1st St. Duluth, MN 55802. 

Visitation, Rosary, and Mass for Fran will begin at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16, at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church, 325 E. 3rd St., Duluth. Concelebrants will be Fr. Seth Gogolin and Fr. Matthew Miller. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, with lunch to follow at the church.

A livestream of the Funeral Mass will be available on the Dougherty Funeral Home Facebook page: www.facebook.com/dfhduluth