Katherine Lorraine Burkman Franczyk

Lilah Crowe2021-03-22T11:20:23-05:00

Name: Katherine Lorraine Franczyk (Burkman)
Location of Birth: Bovey, Minnesota
Date of Birth: March 7, 1920
Date of Death: June 11, 2006
Parents: Norman Burkman & Josephine (Gabe) Burkman
High School and Class: 1937 Greenway High School, Coleraine, Minnesota
College: Itasca Junior College, Coleraine, Minnesota
Iowa State College, Ames, Iowa
Highest Rank: LT (Lieutenant)
Branch: Army
Other Branch:
Date Sworn In:
Place Sworn In:
Date of Discharge:
Place of Discharge:
Military Awards:

Military Highlights:
Newspaper article: Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota - September 10, 1943 - "ENLISTED IN THE ARMY. Miss Catherine Burkman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. N. F. Burkman, has enlisted in the Army as a Dietician. She received a commission as a lieutenant. Miss Burkman will finish her internship at Michael Reese hospital in Chicago Oct. 6th and will come home for a vacation. On November 15th she will report to Sparta, Wisc., where she will be on duty in the hospital there, where there are 2,000 beds. Miss Burkman is a graduate of Greenway High School and Itasca Junior College. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State College at Ames. Last October she went to Chicago to serve her internship. Mr. and Mrs. Burkman will go to Chicago when she finishes."

Newspaper article: Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota - November 12, 1943 - "LIEUTENANT DIETICIAN. Miss Catherine Burkman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. N. F. Burkman will leave Saturday for Minneapolis from where she will leave for Sparta, Wisc., where she will be stationed as Lieutenant Dietician. she will spend Sunday with her brother, Eugene, who attends the University of Minnesota and is in the Navy, also with Miss Cora Phifer of Donley, a school mate, who has enlisted in the Marines and leaves for North Carolina. Miss Phifer is a niece of Mrs. F. Foss and is a graduate of Greenway High School."

Newspaper article - Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota - 1944 – Lt. Katherine Burkman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. N. F. Burkman of Bovey, completed yesterday a leave of absence and went to Gardner hospital in Chicago, to where she had been transferred. Lt. Burkman is in service as a dietitian in the U.S. Army.

Newspaper article - Bovey Press, Bovey, Minnesota - February 18, 1944 – “Camp McCoy, Wisc., February 2, 1944 – My Dear Mrs. Barnes: Have meant to write and thank the members of our Service Club for their thoughtfulness expressed in the subscription to both the Bovey Press and the Reader’s Digest, but as you know, in the Army we love to receive mail but Uncle Sam hasn’t as yet provided us a time in which to answer all we receive. I enjoy the paper, and especially so Ann’s letter. My Reader’s Digest is read by most everyone in Barracks 1013. My work consists of supervising a mess hall, composed of a Mess Sergeant, 8 enlisted men and 20 civilians. We have been serving approximately 550 patients, 50 civilian workers, and 150 nurses (trainee - here for Basic Training only). To prepare food for this mob 3 times a day is sometimes a headache, even when we receive the best of supplies. This is only one of 4 mess halls in the hospital. The camp, as so many people in Bovey know, is beautiful. Our buildings are all wooden structures, painted white with red roofs. Our chief entertainment, after an 8, 8 ½ or 9 hour day spent on our big tired feet, is rest on our beauty-rest mattresses. They have 5 theatres and 3 officer’s clubs on the post, so we are provided with ample facilities for all types of entertainment. I have seen much better floor shows here at McCoy than I ever witnessed in Chicago. I have already received my orders to report to Fort Sheridan for a week, the latter part of February, where I’ll attend school. Just when I thought my school days were over. But it is a special school where we learn to cook dehydrated foods in preparation for overseas duty. Remember the big ‘April push'! I’ll be there! Please thank the members of the Service Club for me and encourage them to keep up the good work. We all appreciate everything you’re doing for us. Sincerely, Katherine Burkman.”

Wars Involved:
World War II

MIA / POW:

Civilian Life:
After Katherine Burkman was discharged from the military service, she lived in Chicago, Illinois and then Antioch, Illinois. She was married to Stanley Franczyk and was employed as a dietician for Morton West High School.

Katherine Franczyk died in Antioch, Illinois and is buried in Oakridge-Glen Oak Cemetery, Hillside, Illinois. She is survived by children, Sandra (William) Zimmerman, Stanley, Jr., and Joe; 5 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by husband Stanley & son Mike.

Tribal Affiliation(s):