Franz was born in Munich, Germany April 12, 1940.

When he was three years old, he lived through the bombing raids by the Allied Forces. His father was drafted by Hitler's army, late in the war, after working on and perfecting the trigger mechanism of the German machine gun. He was missing in action and later declared dead.

Little Franz, his mother, and sister were evacuated from the city when the bombing became unbearable. From 1944 to 1950, the family scratched out survival in the small town of pastoral Bavaria. His mother waitressed, sewed, and performed other work for food or money. The young Franz helped with the process of survival by gathering mushrooms, nuts, berries, apples, and pine cones for the cook-stove as well as a little bumming for food from surrounding farms.

In 1950, when it became apparent that the educational and skilled-job opportunities were very limited in the small town to which they had been evacuated, his mother pursued, and accomplished, to move back to Munich. Munich in 1950 was just barely digging out from under the ruins. Apartments were scarce, many schools were bombed, and the children were stuffed into the ones still open. The mood throughout the country was solemn. Distrust was in the eyes of the people, only children made friends.

Franz the boy, grew up fast. At age fourteen he was working fifty-three hours a week learning a skill. There were not many toys before this, and now there was no need or time for them either. Being fourteen was for these reasons only: to learn a skill, start a life, find self worth, be productive, and to contribute toward the family's well-being.

The rapid and enormous changes in Franz's life continued. Once again routine was uprooted, but this time it was with excitement and enthusiasm. The challenges of immigrating to the New World were taken on, and finally, on March 21,1955 they arrived in America. Since 1950, Franz has had a stepfather, a father that he never had before, a solid rock of a man, his hero. The family settled in New Jersey. In America, the routine turned into achievements. The need turned into purpose. Existence turned into goals. There were now limitless possibilities of advancements and opportunities. Franz's father worked two eight-hour shifts. His mother cleaned houses all week; and on weekends, they both worked with migrant workers on local farms.

Being too young to work full time, Franz had to go back to school. However, every day after school and on weekends, he worked to help contribute to the family Kist.

Franz, at age nineteen, put $5 down on a building lot in a lake community. When he became of legal age at twenty-one, he built a two bedroom house on it. He lived there before and after serving his country in the US Army from 1963 to 1965. While in service, he met and married Emily Ann Giles from Scott County Virginia in 1966. Life continued to blossom. Sons were born in 1967 and 1968. The couple began to make timely investments in real estate. A third son was born in 1972. Things were looking up!

In 1977, the young family moved to Virginia, drawn by the opportunity to settle on a much larger piece of land near the small city of Bedford - again no notion of failure ever entered the mind of the immigrant. A ten year teaching career was left behind in New Jersey. Mr. Beisser had a skill, a drive, and a hope that only could have been brought to fruition in this country. After building his third home. Franz started a printing shop in the basement of the new house. Just twenty years after incorporating the business it moved to its third location; a new 42,000 square-foot modern plant that produces high quality color printing.

All three sons now operate the business with over thirty skilled employees while their father has taken to retirement. Mr. Beisser keeps busy writing, oil painting, woodworking, and enjoying his nine grandchildren. He continues to praise the Lord for His love, guidance, and hope of Glory.