Frances M. Fredrickson

Frances Marian Drake Fredrickson was born April 7, 1924 to Daniel and Della Choate Drake in Wilton, North Dakota, the youngest of ten children. Her family later moved to Velva, North Dakota where she graduated from Velva High School in 1942. She was a bookkeeper at the Velva Hardware Store until her marriage to Chester Fredrickson on August 12, 1946. Together they owned the Velva Shoe Store for 16 years. She did the bookkeeping for their business. Chester later became a pastor and she was a willing and capable assistant to his church ministry. They served the Church of the Nazarene in Minot and Grand Forks, North Dakota, Buffalo Lake, Minnesota and Rushville, Rockton and Ottawa, Illinois. Together they raised five children – Stephana, Dorcas, Candace, Kendell, and Trigvee. Besides her family responsibilities, Frances directed many sessions of Vacation Bible School, taught Sunday School, and had a great passion for the mission work of the church. She served on district mission boards in North Dakota, Minnesota and Illinois. Upon retirement in 1985, she and Chester moved to Marseilles, Illinois where she enjoyed working with the Senior Adult Ministries. Chester passed away in 1986, but she continued to live in Marseilles for 17 years, until 2003 when she moved to Hawley, Minnesota to be near her daughter, Stephana Berg. In 2007, she moved to Cozy Country Living, a senior care facility in rural Hawley and lived there until her death.Frances loved to sew and do other needle crafts. She enjoyed her flower garden and was always interested in trying some new plants and flowers. But most of all she loved her family. We could never give her enough pictures of our families. In her later years she enjoyed making scrapbooks, and spent many hours looking at pictures of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her husband, Chester Fredrickson; a daughter, Candace Marian Fredrickson Nesbett Wyatt; great-granddaughter, Allison Faith Oberg; her parents, Daniel and Della Choate Drake; four brothers, Walter, William, Robert , and Charles; five sisters, Dorothy, Iolene, Carrie, Edith, and Camilla.She is survived by two daughters, Stephana Gary Berg, Hawley, MN, Dorcas Dave Kipp, Conifer, CO; two sons, Kendell Debi Fredrickson, Streater, IL, and Trigvee Sandi Fredrickson, Anchorage, AK; 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.She will be greatly missed.A service and burial will be held in Marseilles, IL on Tuesday, January 24, 2012.