Obituary of Frederick Froese

Frederick Froese, beloved husband of Louise Froese of Calgary, passed away at the Rockyview General Hospital on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 at the age of 93 years. After ninety-three and one-half years and an incredible journey through time, wars, two continents and six countries, Fred Froese’s body, the tent for his soul, finally succumbed to the illnesses of age and time. Other events in the past could more easily have terminated his life. His fierce spirit, free soul and joy of life will be remembered by all who knew him. Born in Molochanski, north of the Sea of Azov to a farming family of pioneering lineage, dating back to 1763 as immigrants from Germany to the Ukraine in the U.S.S.R. in the era of Katherine the Great. Fred’s early life with two sisters and five brothers saw the beginning and end of World War I in 1917 and the end of democracy and entrance of Communism to his homeland. Communism and the related civil war brought years of persecution and daily diets of hunger and fear to him, his family and those in the region. The courage and hope that wells up in desperate times found love for Fred and his first wife, Anastasia Maatz, and led to his two surviving children from that marriage, Viktor and Lily. Death continued to be a familiar stranger in Fred’s journey and it found one son and his wife in 1937 after a lengthy illness. In 1938, Fred found his greatest blessing in the love of his life, Louise Remple his wife, companion, lover and spiritual strength for the last sixty-six years. Her fierce determination for life, sanity and dignity sat above the turmoil and desperate environment of the years ahead. At the same time, Stalin’s ethnic cleansing took his father and brothers to Siberia, followed a few years later by his two sisters and mother. The second Great War led to family separation, prisoner of war camp, and more daily fear and hunger. Fred and Louise had two more children Walter, born in the Soviet Union and later Arthur born in Czechoslovakia while fleeing from Russia. A Canadian Air Force jacket worn by his cousin in Canada and shipped as clothing after the war to Fred became the difference that allowed immigration authorities to let the family come to Canada in 1949 to start the life and journey in the beloved adopted country of Canada. Death visited again with the tragic loss of their son, Walter. From the initial farm work to New Hamburg, ON to Kitchener, ON and then to Calgary, Fred moved his family and life and sought and found adventure, joy, humour and happiness. Fred had a free spirit with vast amounts of humour, great strength and love of life. He had many rhymes and wines pass his lips and fishing rods, pool balls and cards pass his hands. Is it any surprise that his children have some of these traits? In 1955 Fred and Louise had the great joy and surprise enter their life in the birth of their youngest daughter, Helen. Helen and her family have always been the pillars of strength and of great help to her parents. Fred’s children and grandchildren will remember the joys of summers and fishing from the dock or the boat at Honey Harbour or Lake Huron. The games of cards and pool carried on until the end. In later years, he found one brother, Karl Froese (wife Jose) living in Wisconsin. After the collapse of the iron curtain, his loving sisters Lina and Elizabeth made it to freedom. The happiness of these discoveries cannot be fairly described. Besides his loving wife of sixty-five years, Louise, Fred is survived by his brother Karl (Jose) Froese and their children and grandchildren in Wisconsin; his sister Tina Hofman and her children and grandchildren in Siegburg, Germany, son Viktor (Betty) Froese, daughter Lily (Jacob) Braun, son Arthur (Donna) Froese, daughter Helen (Chris) Kolozetti, grandchildren Jonathan and Paul Froese, Gary, Ron and Karl (Sharla) Braun, Kathy (Mark) O’Neil, Kirsten and Erik Froese, Hannah (Mike) LaPlante, Adam, Katrina and Dean Kolozetti; great-grandchildren Jesse and Kayla Froese, Niklaus and Ryan Braun, Sharla, Kaylin and Sean O’Neil, Jesse and Erin Braun, and Sierra LaPointe. Funeral Services will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S Park Memorial Chapel (5008 Elbow Drive S.W.) on Monday, March 1, 2004 at 10:00 A.M. To forward condolences go to www.mcinnisandholloway.com. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Calgary Health Trust – Palliative Care Unit 73 at Rockyview General Hospital, 10101 Southport Road SW, Calgary, AB T2W 3N2. Telephone: (403) 943-0615. www.calgaryhealthtrust.org. The family wishes to thank the many Doctors and health care workers who helped Fred Froese’s life be full and extended. Particularly, we would like to thank the nurses and the health care workers in the palliative care unit 73 at the Rockyview General Hospital and Dr. Roode and Dr. Minhas. In living memory of Frederick Froese, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Park Memorial Chapel, 5008 ELBOW DRIVE S.W., CALGARY, TELEPHONE: (403) 243-8200.