Frances L. (Reed) Zaparynuk

Frances L. (Reed) Zaparynuk

Frances Laura (Reed) Zaparynuk, 91, of Big Sandy, a retired bar owner, died Oct. 31, 2011, of natural causes in a Big Sandy nursing home.

Her funeral is at 11 a. m. Saturday, at Christ Lutheran Church in Big Sandy, with burial at the Big Sandy Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Big Sandy Medical Center or Christ Lutheran Church. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Frances is survived by a son, John Sadler of Mesa, Ariz., daughter, Amber (Randy) Beaudette and daughter-in-law Madonna Zaparynuk, all of Big Sandy; a sister, Olive Watson and brother Robert (Donna) Reed, all of Havre; a brother, John (Iris) Reed of Wichita Falls, Texas; a brother James Reed of Turner; and sister, Helen (Dan) Maloney of Loring; 10 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Frances was born in Great Falls, Mont., on Jan. 16, 1920, to Laura (Jones) and Robert Reed. As a child, she lived at Cherry Ridge in north-central Montana. She attended country schools, a school at Zurich and high school at Harlem.

As a young woman, she worked at the Turner grocery store and as a waitress. She was married twice before her marriage to Pete Zaparynuk on June 12, 1951. They were married 57 years before Pete's death in 2008. They bought the Bar D Bar in Wagner in 1951. It was the central point to the community where she did everything from make lunches for the local work crews to pumping gas to putting on dances.

In 1958, they moved to Harlem where Pete worked at Kennedy's Bar, and she worked part time and raised her family. In 1965, they bought the Club Bar and moved to Big Sandy. She was the driving force at the bar, keeping it as clean as her home, making countless ham and cheese sandwiches to sell along with tending bar full time. Even after retiring in 1984, she continued to keep the bar in top shape. She greatly enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.

Frances was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She could be found selling poppies every Memorial Day. She also was a member Christ Lutheran Church and the Eagles. She admitted that her hobbies were scrubbing floors and ironing.

Frances was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Pete; son, Robert Hamilton, and his wife, Sharon; son, Rocky Zaparynuk; and great-granddaughter, Gemma Hamilton.