Marquette––Freda E. Benson, 86, of 2322 Longyear Avenue, Marquette, entered eternal life Saturday evening, January 13, 2007, at Marquette General Hospital.
Freda was born December 17, 1920 in Baraga, a daughter of Peter and Sadie (Crandall) Beaudry. She was raised in Baraga, later moving to Marquette where she was employed as a waitress for a time. On May 27, 1939, she married Albin E. “Bean” Benson in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Marquette and together the couple established their home and raised their family in Marquette. Following the marriage, Freda worked outside the home, in a variety of employments, for several years. Freda and Albin were very devoted to their family and the couple enjoyed fishing together, going to family camps, attending and hosting countless family picnics and get-togethers. The couple always looked forward to the grandchildren staying at their home and the motto, “Grandma’s house, Grandma’s rules” was tempered with the discipline of “love”. Freda always seemed to have children underneath her feet, and she loved it.
Her specialty was cooking, and she loved to feed people whether they were hungry or not. In her spare time, she also sewed Barbie clothes for her grandchildren’s dolls. Freda was a member of St. Michael Catholic Church and the church’s altar society.
A loving mother, proud grandparent, and sister, she is survived by a son, Albin J. “Joe” (Pris) Benson of Port Charlotte, FL, her daughters, Diane (Dick) Fraser of Rapid City, SD, and Karen Pekkala of Marquette; her former daughter-in-law, Janet (Lancour) Benson of Marquette; her grandchildren, Jackie (Erik) Maul, Joey (Cyndi) Benson, Jill (Fred) Riddle, Jerry (Kaci) Benson, Todd (Angela) Fraser, Shawn (LaDonna) Fraser, Bobbi Jo (Roy) Francis, and Dennis Pekkala; 18 great-grandchildren; her sister, Leona (Peter) Holm of Marquette; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, Freda was preceded in death by her husband, Albin, in 2000; a son-in-law, Dennis Pekkala; sisters, Florence “Pug” Roy, Ina L’Huillier, Vera Holm, and Gert Malette; and brothers, Louis, Fred, and Roy Beaudry.
Friends may call at St. Michael Catholic Church on Thursday, January 18, beginning at 11:00 am. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 1:00 pm Thursday afternoon, with Rev. Greg Heikkala as celebrant. Freda’s grandchildren will serve as escorts and great-grandson, Coty Trewhella will serve as honorary escort. Burial will be made in the Northland Chapel Gardens. A reception for family and friends will follow in St. Michael’s Parish Center.
The Fassbender Funeral Home is serving the family.