Franny, A Real Powerhouse
Franny, A Real Powerhouse
Twenty-one years ago, Fran Dieter (“Franny” to me, although I’m the only one who calls her that) read Dr. Miriam Nelson’s book Strong Women Stay Young with a specific fitness goal in mind.
By coincidence, Karen Ehle-Traastad (a home economist with Vernon County) and I had just returned home from a certification program in Nashville that Dr. Nelson had taught. Soon after, we announced our new Strong Women program in the local newspaper, and Franny enrolled.
On day one, Franny climbed the Landmark Center’s four steep flights of steps, carrying her three-pound weights in a cloth bag. Her personal goal was to get strong enough to lift and pour an eight-pound gallon of milk with one hand. She was 68 at the time.
Franny, her husband Don, and their two daughters moved to Viroqua in 1969 to the home Don had designed. Don taught at Viroqua High School, and Franny subbed there. Later, she started her own writing business called 4 Sharp Writing.
When she joined the Strong Women program, exercise wasn’t new to Franny. For years, she’d been exercising for 10 to 15 minutes each morning, following a routine given to her by a P.E. teacher.
My first impression of Franny was that she was a tiny powerhouse: not quite five feet tall, but strong, steady, and able to hold her own in any storm. She was trim, with short hair and glasses, neat, and personable. She struck me as someone who cared about her health and seemed curious to learn. I suspected she didn’t get much rest, yet she had a calming presence. She knew most of the folks as they entered the classroom, or got to know them soon after. Later, I discovered she had retired from teaching and was an active and cherished volunteer at McIntosh Memorial Library in Viroqua.
Over time, the three-pound weights she first brought to class were replaced with fives, sixes, sevens, and eights. Franny achieved her original goal and could easily pour what we later discovered (since milk is heavier than water) was an 8.6-pound gallon of milk with one hand. Mission accomplished!
When the stairs she climbed on day one were incorporated into the class, Franny excelled at every climbing variation I invented: up one step at a time and down holding onto the railing; next, up two at a time; on the third round, sideways with the right leg leading; on the fourth, sideways with the left leg leading; and on the last, while holding onto the rail, backwards!
Instead of dropping out of class once she’d met her goal, Franny has soldiered on and refers to the class as her positive addiction. Today, at 89 years old, Franny no longer attends my twice-weekly Strong Women program, which has morphed over the years into Stretch & Flex. Instead, she graduated to the advanced class that meets three times a week and includes floor work.
Although she likes to credit her “lucky genes” for her excellent health, I believe it also has to do with her dedication to her classes. Rarely does she miss one. When she and Don travel to their cabin in Colorado, she takes her weights, exercise bands, and balls. Even during COVID, Franny attended prerecorded classes through Vernon Communications and has continued online ever since. At this point, Franny could lead the class!
Not long ago, Franny said she’d thought about those stairs and would like to get back there someday and resume that routine. Good grief! I thought. Most people I’ve talked to are glad never to see those stairs again!
Franny shares fitness tidbits with me that she finds in the AARP magazine and delights in discovering that she’s already doing the exercises they recommend. If one of them isn’t included in our routine, I’ll add it in, knowing she’ll notice.
Recently, Franny decided to return to using her seven-pound weights, saying, “I have nothing to prove.” I agree—just seeing her is proof enough of her years of hard work, dedication, and consistency.
All those years ago, Franny was captivated by Dr. Nelson’s research showing that women could improve their fitness and longevity by increasing their strength. Dr. Nelson had proved that it could happen at any age. That first book (she went on to write nine more) was written to help women counteract the natural decline in muscle mass, bone density, and metabolism that occurs after menopause. Franny, through her regular exercise, has been an excellent role model for Dr. Nelson’s approach.
Now, as I’m an inch away from turning 68, and Franny is less than a month away from turning 90, my first impression of Franny holds true: a real powerhouse! She remains one of the class’s favorite role models.