Rachel T. Frederickson

Rachel was born February 16, 1918, in Hatton, ND, to Rev. Tobias and Carrie Tjornhom. She grew up in Hatton and later Fergus Falls, MN, where her father was minister at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. The youngest of twelve, she followed the rest of her family with a great gift of music. As early as seventh grade she was accompanying the choirs and playing bass in the orchestra. For four years she sang in the St. Olaf Choir, Northfield, MN, under the direction of F. Melius Christiansen and did much of the solo work. During that time she soloed at Carnegie Hall with the choir. She graduated in 1940 with a Bachelor of Music. On December 28, 1942, she married A.W. Frederickson and taught school while he served in Germany during WWII. In the successive years she guest soloed all over the upper Midwest singing many oratorios. In 1967 they moved to California where she continued her education and eventually received her Master's in Music. Also during that time she sang with the Schola Cantorum and the Bach Festival in Carmel, CA. She was always teaching piano and voice and serving as choir director and organist in many church congregations. A.W. passed in 1992.Rachel is survived by four children, David Frederickson, Sunnyvale, CA, Mark Mary Jo Frederickson, Monterey, CA, Karen Kringler, Glyndon, MN and Kristi Frederickson, San Jose, CA; four grandchildren, Kayla Frederickson, Carrie Michael Richards, Jeremy Kringler, Kevin Jody Kringler; five great-grandchildren, Justin and Jenna Kringler and Toryn, Tatum and Trey Richards.