Frances Magin

Frances-Mary Magin (Fergus Falls, Mn.) passed away on February 24 after a short hospital stay. She was surrounded by her family and passed peacefully. Her legacy follows a line of four generations of strong North Dakota women who set challenging goals for themselves and helped others to share in the joys of success.

Born (August 3,1973) in Bismarck, North Dakota, Frances grew up in an old house between downtown and the State Capitol. She attended school in Bismarck until her family moved to Fargo in 1987. Frances graduated from Fargo South in 1990 and attended NDSU before she set her sights on a career in the concrete aggregate industry, where she started as a night machinery service technician, moving up to ready mix driver. She became a local pioneer for women in the construction industry when she was hired on as the first female concrete mixer-truck driver in Fargo-Moorhead. She graduated from driver to batch-dispatcher, assistant plant manager, plant manager, and regional safety director for one of the world’s largest concrete aggregate enterprises. Frances also enjoyed off seasons working as a tax preparer for H&R Block helping her clients with tax filing.

Frances had many hobbies and interests. She loved the thrill of finding and displaying her antique treasures. As an avid reader, she especially enjoyed English literature and books related to art and classical art history. She excelled at needlework and beading design. She enjoyed gifting handmade origami figures with those she loved. Cooking and sharing exotic foods were always a part of the entertainment, and she enjoyed food adventures when traveling or visiting family.

In 2018 Frances and Kevin moved to a home they built along the Otter Tail River. She continued working in her chosen profession as needed for a local construction company from Miltona, MN, until her health started to fail. Her time with us was short but full of all the life she saw around her.
Frances is survived by husband Kevin Kistner, daughter Madeline and son-in-law Taylor Johnson, father; Tom Magin, (Charlotte) mother; Shirley White (Steve), brothers James Magin and Joe Magin, stepchildren Amy Brunsting (Nic), Josh Kistner, (Sarah) and three grandchildren Shelby, Jacob and Ivy.

A memorial gathering for family and friends is scheduled for Saturday March 9th at Boulgers Funeral Home from 2pm until 4pm (123 10th Street South, Fargo-ND).

Frances always went out of her way to save injured or helpless animals, and her final wish was for others to show more kindness to each other and especially towards animals in need. Donations can be made to charities that aid animal rescue such as: Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota, 2530 Dale St N, Roseville, MN 55113 (wrcmn.org) or Cats Cradle Shelter Inc. 9 9th St S, Fargo, ND 58103.