ELLEN FREDERICKS

Ellen Lou Fredericks, 96, of Turtle Lake, passed away peacefully on March 13, 2022.  Ellen was born on August 1, 1925, in Rice Lake, to Ed and Ida (Fredrick) Butler.  She attended country grade school at Meadow Creek and graduated from Rice Lake High School in 1943.  For 15 years, she worked as a supervisor and chief operator for the Wisconsin Bell Telephone Company.  She also worked as a nurse’s aide in both of the Rice Lake hospitals and was a girl scout leader for five years.

She married Raymond Fredericks on August 27, 1955, and for fifty years they worked Ray’s home dairy farm in rural Turtle Lake, which became a century farm in 1998.  She milked the cows, tended the chickens, and maintained an extensive garden.  Besides raising two daughters, Mary and Karen, Ellen was always intensively involved in activities off the farm, particularly with Zion Lutheran Church, where she held several offices, including treasurer of the altar guild.  She served as a Sunday School teacher and superintendent and was in Homemakers for 50 years.  She was an adult group leader in the Lucky Horseshoe 4-H club for 20 years.  After retirement, she volunteered at the Lutheran thrift shop in Rice Lake.  She loved to play cards, do puzzles, and made many quilts, which she delighted in sharing.

Ellen was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Raymond; infant daughter, Ruth; and all but one of her six siblings.  She is survived by her daughter Mary (Dan) Ritsche; daughter, Karen (Joe) Colburn; granddaughter, Courtney (Jim) Klingelhoets; grandson, Cody; great-grandchildren, Emma, Cameron, Ella, and Grace; one brother, John; and many other relatives.

Services were held on March 18 at Zion Lutheran Church in Turtle Lake and burial was at Mount Hope Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, etc., any memorials will be donated in Ellen’s memory to the Zion Lutheran Church.