Phyllis Jeane Freds, 92,
of Burlington Township, passed away Saturday, September 21, 2019 at
ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital.
A celebration of Phyllis’s life will be held at 11:00 AM on
Friday, September 27, 2019 at the Burlington Church of God with Pastor David
Rails officiating. Burial will follow at Burlington Cemetery.
Visitation will
be held from 2:00-4:00 PM and 6:00-8:00 PM on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at
Lighthouse Funeral & Cremation in Union City.
Phyllis was born on October 31, 1926, in Calhoun County’s Fredonia
Township, to Charles and Bernadine (Rimmer) Hardwick. She attended the Houston
Grade School in Fredonia Township and graduated from Marshall High School in
1944. On July 12, 1947, she married Max Freds in Uniondale, IN. He preceded her
in death in 1998.
Phyllis
began working as a teen, picking onions for 10 cents per day, cleaning houses
and babysitting for the Snitchler Family in Marshall. Once married, she worked
at the Bell Telephone office in Indiana, which she loved, and then at
McLaughlin Drug Store in Union City.
Later she was employed by the U.S. Postal
Service and worked as a clerk at the post offices in Burlington, East Leroy,
Sherwood and Marshall, retiring in 1988 after 16 years of service.
After
retirement, Phyllis and Max bought a motor home and traveled to Florida.
Eventually, they bought a place in Frostproof for their annual three-month
winter stay.
A
loving mother, Phyllis always put her kids first and worried about everyone. She
was a caring and giving person who enjoyed getting together with her family to
celebrate special occasions. Phyllis was always upbeat and enthusiastic. She
loved to cheer for her sons at their ballgames and was an avid follower of sports.
She was a huge Detroit Tigers fan and kept a scorebook for every game.
Sometimes her son, Russ, would call her during a game to discuss the players
and outcome. She also loved football and followed the Detroit Lions,
Indianapolis Colts and the Michigan Wolverines.
In
2013, at the age of 86, Phyllis became only the second patient at Borgess
Medical Center to undergo the new transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
surgical procedure. Back at home, she loved her pets: Tina, Heidi and Miss
Kitty. Phyllis had resided in the Burlington area since 1955 and was a member
of the Burlington Church of God.
Survivors include her daughter, Kathy (Dan) Kever of
Burlington; sons, Daniel (Patty) Freds of Hamilton, IN and Joe (Debbie
Batchelder) Freds of Burr Oak; daughter-in-law Kris Freds of Byron Center;
grandchildren Andrea (Fred) Stetler, Brooke (Joe) Sisco, Jennifer Freds, Erin
(Ryan) Wells, Christina (Julien) Freds-Villa, Julie Anne Freds, Nathan (Amanda
Nutt) Freds, Matthew (Melissa Newmen) Freds and Kayla (David) Meddaugh;
great-grandchildren Max, Connor, Sophie, Tyler, Keagan, Tyler, Isaac, Samantha,
Esmee, Griffin, Isla; many nieces and nephews; a sister, Marguerite “Toot”
(Charles) Freds; sister-in-law Carol Hardwick; and brothers-in-law Dale Bender
and Darrel Gilbert.
In addition to her husband, Phyllis was preceded in death
by her parents; a son, Russell Freds; siblings, Charles “June” Hardwick, Jr.,
Carl “Bud” Hardwick and Doris (Hardwick) Boody-Bender; and special companion
Jr. Keller.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Russell Freds
Athletic Scholarship at Union City Community Schools, 430 St. Joseph Street,
Union City, MI 49094 or to the Burlington
Church of God, 300 E. Leroy Street, Burlington, MI 49029.
Please
visit
www.lighthousefuneral.com
to share memories, pictures and videos with the family.
