Frederic August Frederick

Fred Frederick

Fred A. Frederick, 84, died of natural causes, at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home, with family and friends from the home in attendance, on July 11, 2011.

A memorial service honoring his life will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, July 15, 2011, at the Messiah Lutheran Church, with Pastor Michael O'Hearn officiating. A private family interment will be held. A fellowship will be held at the church immediately after the service. Arrangements and services were entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home

He was born Sept. 1, 1926, at Carmangay, Alberta, Canada, at his uncle's homestead. He attended schools in Havre and loved visits to and from family in Canada throughout his childhood and adult life.

He entered the U.S. Army in June 1945 and served through 1947. He spent time serving in California and then as a postal clerk in Riverside, Calif., censoring prisoners' mail, then at Fort Missoula, where he was one of the two last men on duty. He remembered the two of them locking the gates and lowering the flag for the very last time the day Fort Missoula closed.

He married Laura Lee Habeger on Sept. 16, 1946, in Havre while on leave. After his discharge, they returned to Havre where he began working for Valley Motor Supply as a parts clerk. He transferred to Miles City, Mont., as a traveling parts salesman, then to Lemmon, S.D. They later returned to Havre, and he became counter manager for Valley Motor Supply. He was offered a position with Montana Department of Highways. where he went from parts man to office manager until retirement.

They had one daughter, Dixie LeAnne; and one son, William John.

Fred loved to hunt, fish and tie flies and was an accomplished artist with a sketch pad and oil painting. He was fantastic with cartoons. He and his wife built a cabin in Beaver Creek Park they called the "Pond O' Roses" where their family and friends loved spending their time. They also enjoyed traveling in their later years.

He was always there for any of us when we needed him.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Laura Lee; in-laws, Ernestine Tuck, Maryhelen Habeger, Bill Marquardt and Emden Granell.

He is survived by his children, Dixie (Tony) English and Bill (Tammy) Frederick; his granddaughters, Angi (Tony) Gabrielsen and Emi (Mike) Moore; grandsons, Frank, Joe and Bryan; great-grandchildren, Brad, Joe, Meriel, Gabby, Ricky, Alaura and Alli; his in-laws, John and Ruth Habeger, Mary Jane and Glenn Morgan, Carolyn Marquardt, Gayle Tuck and Dick Habeger; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials can be sent to Sweet Memorial Nursing Home, P. O. Box 1149, Chinook, MT 59523.