Francis "Bibs" Krebsbach, 94, Garrison, formerly of Max, died on Thursday, August 9, 2018 at Trinity Hospital in Minot. Funeral Mass will be held on Monday at 10:30 am at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Garrison. A rosary will be said on Sunday at 7:00 pm at the church.

Visitation will be held on Sunday from 5 to 7 pm at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Garrison.

Bibs was born at home with his Grandma Friese, delivering him as a 2 1/2 lb preemie and he fit in a shoebox. To keep him warm they swaddled him surrounded by quart jars filled with hot water wrapped in quilt batting. He was placed on the open door of a wood stove. Despite a scary beginning he thrived and worked hard at home and worked summers as a young man for Victor Zenz for $.25 a day. He was raised on the family farm and attended rural school near Max and later attended Garrison High School. He remained on the family farm helping with the daily operations which included small grains and dairy cattle. He was the first to help a neighbor when needed. In 1961 there were no crops following the drought he and his brother, LuVerne milked 26 cows and they headed to Minot with Clarence and Robbie Krebsbach to work for Kemper Construction installing water and sewer lines.

Francis married Doris Baker on December 28, 1948 in Garrison. They made their home on the family farm near Max where they continued to farm and raise dairy cattle. They also started their family, raising 6 boys and 3 girls. In 1995, they moved into Max. They continued to farm but slowing worked into retirement.

He loved visiting with his coffee buddies at the Max Cafe, sometime driving to town twice a day, a 20 mile round trip. After moving into town it was only 3 blocks. He loved visitors, especially when the grandchildren and great grandchildren came to play with Papa Bibs. He always napped best with a sleeping baby on his chest.

His favorite times were spent making homemade pork sausage with the family, teaching them what he had done his entire life. He made it to the farm in 2017, but it was a supervisory position.

Upon retirement, Bibs was active in the Max Senior Center and Max Civic Club. He was also extremely involved in Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Max. Living in the old church rectory, Bibs watched over the church and was always there to help with masses and many other duties that the church needed.

He was devoted to God and his family.

He is survived by his children: Connie (Tom) Bennett, Dean (Connie) Arlan (Lisa), Peggy (Steve) Wollmuth, John, Lynette (John) Olson, Tim (Denise), Don; daughters-in-law, Denise M. Krebsbach and Shelly Krebsbach; 21 Grandchildren; 24 Greatgrandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by grandchildren Ann Marie and Jennifer and great granddaughter Aryanna.

In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials to St. Nicholas or Immaculate Conception Cemeteries.