Allen Frantzen has always been an active caring and loving family man.
He loves being able to spend time with family whenever he gets the chance. He also enjoys being part of a big family, especially when everyone is able to get together for the holidays and other special events. With big families, it is fun to be able to catch up with everyone and see what fun and interesting things they have been up to with their lives since the last time you saw each other including marriages, kids, vacations, careers, special hobbies, and more.
Allen Frantzen is one of six children born to Dorothy Birmingham (1910-1985) and John Frantzen (1910-1998).
Being close to his family, Allen Frantzen loves taking photos to hang on to and cherish the precious memories they have shared over the years. His mother is also passionate about taking photographs and sharing family memories. Because of this, Allen has created web pages for two of his mother’s photograph albums, dating from 1920 to 1934, and has photographed several reunions of both sides of his family. It is great to be able to go back and visit these memories from long ago, sharing stories and passing jokes about fashion choices, hairstyles, and more and appreciating the history of the family over multiple generations.
Most of Allen’s family pictures, including many family reunions, are gathered on the Iowa and Minnesota sections of Allen’s “travel by destination” page.
Allen’s nieces and nephews include several accomplished artists and musicians, including John Frantzen (Los Angeles composer), Rose Frantzen (Iowa painter), and Jerry Frantzen (Chicago singer and impresario).
John Frantzen
John Frantzen is a dynamic conductor and composer with a distinctive sound and style. He has worked in a wide variety of music genres and has collaborated with visual artists, directors, and choreographers from around the world. John Frantzen has even worked with his uncle, Allen Frantzen on a play entitled, “A Son at the Front”. Allen Frantzen wrote some of the text for the play while John was responsible for writing the music. Some of his greatest concert highlights and performances include events at:
- The Lincoln Memorial
- Carnegie Hall
- The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
- Symphony Space
- Papal Mass on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Parkway with Pope Francis
Rose Frantzen
Rose Frantzen is known for her artwork on both a national and international level. She is best known for her oil paintings that combine contemporary perspectives with a traditional alla prima approach. Allen Frantzen admires her many great pieces of art including sill lifes, landscapes, as well as figurative works.
When traveling or passing through certain areas of the U.S., Allen Frantzen enjoys checking out some of her paintings in various art galleries and museums including:
- The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery
- The Denver Historical Museum
- The Butler Institute of American Art
- The Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Jerry Frantzen
For many years, Jerry Frantzen has worked in Chicago as a singer and impresario. He has worked extensively with the Chicago Folks Operetta, a nonprofit theater company maintaining the belief that art and music help to illuminate and brighten the human condition.
Allen Frantzen is proud to be part of such a diverse, artistic, and successful family. He is excited to continue supporting and working with his family for years and generations to come.