Obituary for Elizabeth Rose Mary "Betty" Freking (Busch)
Le Mars, Iowa - Elizabeth “Betty” Rose Mary Freking, 86, of Le Mars, Iowa, entered into eternal life on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, at Good Samaritan Society in Le Mars. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 18, 2022, at All Saints Catholic Parish-St. Joseph Church in Le Mars with the Rev. Bruce Lawler as celebrant. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery in Le Mars, with her seven surviving sons as pallbearers. Visitation with the family present will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 17, 2022, with a Catholic Daughter’s Rosary at 5 p.m. and a Scriptural Prayer Service at 7 p.m., all at the church. There will also be one hour of visitation at the church before the funeral on Saturday.
Betty was born July 14, 1935, in Le Mars, the daughter of Henry and Gertrude (Wersinger) Busch. She was baptized at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Remsen, IA and confirmed at Holy Name Catholic Church. She attended Holy Name High School in Marcus, IA. Betty worked as a telephone operator and seamstress before marrying Herman (“Junior”) Clem Freking Jr. on May 3, 1956, at Holy Name Catholic Church in Marcus. Betty and Junior farmed east of Le Mars, while she also took on a position at Aalfs in Le Mars after her 13 children had all reached school age. Betty later worked as a caregiver at The Abbey for nearly 20 years, working there to stay close to her loving husband Junior, as he resided there for 12 years after suffering from a debilitating stroke.
Betty will be lovingly remembered for her devotion to her family and faith. She attended and supported All Saints Catholic Church and the Gehlen Catholic Schools. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters. She was known for her modesty, generosity, gentleness, respect for others and quiet strength. As she was easily embarrassed, this became a constant connection between her and her children, as they loved to tease her.
Betty is survived by her children: Mary Kay and her husband, Rick Juhl of Le Mars; her daughter-in-law, Micayla Freking, of August, KS; Diane and her husband, Rick Baack, of Le Mars; her son-in-law, Don Bouma, of Le Mars; Randy Freking and his wife, Lisa, of Le Mars; Christy and her husband, Todd Siders, of Castle Rock, CO; Dale Freking and his wife, Lisé, of Eagan, MN; Jeffrey Freking of Sioux City, IA; Dean Freking and his wife, Julie, of Milton, MA, Gerald Freking and his wife, Rebecca, of Fort Washington, MD; Charles Freking and his wife, Michelle, of Sergeant Bluff, IA; Douglas Freking and his wife, Jennifer, of Cumming, IA; and Angela and her husband, Dennis Meister, of Tulsa, OK. Betty is also survived by 39 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; twelve brothers and sisters -- Clara Barrett, Henry (“Bud”) Busch, Helen Curtis, Agnes Cox, Raymond Busch, Mary Beazley, Joe Busch, Joyce Merrill, Joanne Jenness, Paul Busch, Lawrence Busch, Louise Rodriguez; a brother-in-law, Harold Freking and his wife Kay; and a sister-in-law, Karen McPherson and her husband Rick.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Junior, her son Steven Herman Freking, her daughter, Linda Ann Bouma, her daughter-in-law Mary (Schroeder) Freking, her grandson, Brody Freking, her great-granddaughter, Daisy Pippett, her brother, Johnny Busch, and her sister, Gertrude (“Trudy”) Peterson.
Memorials in Betty’s name may be made to Gehlen Catholic Schools for future scholarships.
Betty was born July 14, 1935, in Le Mars, the daughter of Henry and Gertrude (Wersinger) Busch. She was baptized at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Remsen, IA and confirmed at Holy Name Catholic Church. She attended Holy Name High School in Marcus, IA. Betty worked as a telephone operator and seamstress before marrying Herman (“Junior”) Clem Freking Jr. on May 3, 1956, at Holy Name Catholic Church in Marcus. Betty and Junior farmed east of Le Mars, while she also took on a position at Aalfs in Le Mars after her 13 children had all reached school age. Betty later worked as a caregiver at The Abbey for nearly 20 years, working there to stay close to her loving husband Junior, as he resided there for 12 years after suffering from a debilitating stroke.
Betty will be lovingly remembered for her devotion to her family and faith. She attended and supported All Saints Catholic Church and the Gehlen Catholic Schools. She was a member of the Catholic Daughters. She was known for her modesty, generosity, gentleness, respect for others and quiet strength. As she was easily embarrassed, this became a constant connection between her and her children, as they loved to tease her.
Betty is survived by her children: Mary Kay and her husband, Rick Juhl of Le Mars; her daughter-in-law, Micayla Freking, of August, KS; Diane and her husband, Rick Baack, of Le Mars; her son-in-law, Don Bouma, of Le Mars; Randy Freking and his wife, Lisa, of Le Mars; Christy and her husband, Todd Siders, of Castle Rock, CO; Dale Freking and his wife, Lisé, of Eagan, MN; Jeffrey Freking of Sioux City, IA; Dean Freking and his wife, Julie, of Milton, MA, Gerald Freking and his wife, Rebecca, of Fort Washington, MD; Charles Freking and his wife, Michelle, of Sergeant Bluff, IA; Douglas Freking and his wife, Jennifer, of Cumming, IA; and Angela and her husband, Dennis Meister, of Tulsa, OK. Betty is also survived by 39 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; twelve brothers and sisters -- Clara Barrett, Henry (“Bud”) Busch, Helen Curtis, Agnes Cox, Raymond Busch, Mary Beazley, Joe Busch, Joyce Merrill, Joanne Jenness, Paul Busch, Lawrence Busch, Louise Rodriguez; a brother-in-law, Harold Freking and his wife Kay; and a sister-in-law, Karen McPherson and her husband Rick.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Junior, her son Steven Herman Freking, her daughter, Linda Ann Bouma, her daughter-in-law Mary (Schroeder) Freking, her grandson, Brody Freking, her great-granddaughter, Daisy Pippett, her brother, Johnny Busch, and her sister, Gertrude (“Trudy”) Peterson.
Memorials in Betty’s name may be made to Gehlen Catholic Schools for future scholarships.