Russell E. Fread

Russell E. Fread, 91, Kearney, died Saturday, September 10, 2016 at C.H.I. Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Friday, September 16, 2016 at St. James Catholic Church with Fr. Joe Hannappel and Fr. Art Faesser officiating. Burial will be at Kearney Cemetery with Military Rites provided by the Nebraska National Guard Funeral Honors team, Kearney American Legion Post #52, and Kearney V.F.W. Post #759. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, September 15, 2016 followed by a wake service at 7:00 p.m. at St. James Catholic Church. Memorials are suggested to St. James Catholic Church. Russell was born the second of 7 children on a farm outside of Litchfield, Nebraska. Born a farmer, Russell's most important yield of his life was the 6 children he and his wife Ella raised. Mary Erazim, Raleigh, NC, Kenneth Fread, Houston, TX, Kathryn Lindaman, Portland, Oregon (deceased), Monty Fread, Kearney, NE, Cindy Collins, Raleigh, NC and Lori Gould, Raleigh, NC. The fruits of their labors did not go unrewarded as the Fread family was blessed by adding 13 grandchildren followed by 13 great grandchildren. Learning farming from his father Russell ventured off to earn money farming for others after the 8th grade. $1.00 was a full day’s wages for driving a five- horse team using a single row lister. Never have straighter rows been planted according to Russ. Sometimes it’s hard to keep them down on the farm, so Russell made trips to town for football games and had an advantage over the town kids. He had a car. Offering Ella and a friend a ride home one night from a game, they stopped by the Hazard dance hall and the girls kicked off their shoes and started dancing. Love bloomed for almost 70 years. Russell said he fixed a lot of flat tires going back and forth to see Ella. During the war years, you kept tires as long as you could keep air in them. Ella Anderson became Russell's bride after making a cross country trip to Port Townsend, Washington to marry her soulmate. After the Army, they settled on the farm outside Litchfield where they started to raise kids, crops and cattle. It was hard work and paying off the 160 acres at $30.00 an acre was only exceeded in difficulty by paying off the next 160 acres that went for a premium of $50.00 an acre. With Ella's job as a school teacher and both of them working hard on the farm, they managed to make a wonderful home for their family. After a long and successful career in farming, Russell retired. Of course, that meant get another job and rent the farm out! Russell worked at the Eaton plant in Kearney for 20 years before finally retiring for good. Ella was a woman that didn't sit still very well. Although Russell sometimes mentioned that he didn't really feel like going on a trip, he almost never stayed home. He kept right up with her to see the kids in North Carolina, Texas and Oregon, sometimes twice per year. Or the trips to Europe, or the Northeast to see the leaves, Glacier Park for the scenery, Yellowstone Park, or just to Omaha for some shopping! Keep moving Dad! Russell loved to write in his journals. Loved reading a good book on history and then discussing it. Loved the daily paper and Fox News to keep up to date. He had a great sense of humor. Recently, he said that almost everything seemed funny to him. And he loved people. Russell would be hard pressed to meet someone he didn't like, or want to get to know more-a genuine curiosity about people and their circumstances. That probably explains why everyone loved Russell….. he cared about you. Mightily important to Russell were his family, his faith and his farm. And his Forest! Almost 40 years ago, Russell started planting trees in what is now known as Russell's Forest. In one of the corners of the pivot on the farm there thrives a large stand of trees where many parties and celebrations have been held, including Russell's 80th birthday. As recently as August a party was arranged by Russell himself, for all of his neighbors and their kids to see the Forest, have hot dogs and enjoy a beautiful afternoon. He even arranged for a Porta Potty. Russell had a great day! First and foremost, Russell is an American Farmer. A businessman who took the risks of farming in stride. Through hail, drought, disease and unruly commodity markets, with no means of exercising control over them, Russell spent more than 50 years helping feed America by raising, harvesting and marketing grain and livestock. Of all the loves in Russell's life, Ella was far and away the most important. They had a fierce commitment to one another, were there for one another, and loved one another deeply. As well as Russell did after Ella passed away, it was with a broken heart. The definition of success is different for everyone. But Russell Ezra Fread is as good a definition as any. A good business man, a genuine friend, a loving father, grandfather, great grandfather and husband. A life full with family and friends alike. A life that gives love and receives love. Russell figured out how to harvest all the important elements that life will afford. We love and miss you Dad. Keep moving Dad! Russell is survived by daughters, Mary Erazim, Cindy Collins and her husband, Bobby, and Lori Gould and her husband, Todd, all of Raleigh; sons, Kenneth Fread and his wife, Laura, of Houston and Monty Fread and his wife, Sue, of Kearney; son-in-law, Rex Lindaman of Portland, Oregon; sister, Juanita Beckham of Pleasanton, brother-in-law, Earl Anderson and his wife, Gwen, of Pleasanton; and sister-in-law, Carol Supanchick and her husband, Bob, of Ravenna. Russell was preceded in death by his wife, Ella; daughter Kathryn Lindaman; grandson, Alex Fread; son-in-law, John Erazim; one sister, Betty Brewer; four brothers, Robert, John, LeRoy and Wilbur.

Tributes

Russell E. Fread

September 10, 2016