Esther Freund, 82, died Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010, at her home in Fremont.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the First Lutheran Church in Fremont. Interment will be at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Fremont's Memorial Cemetery.

Esther Olesen was born on May 14, 1928, in Racine, Wis., to Danish immigrants Carl Alfred and Anna Helene (Nielsen) Olesen. She was baptized and confirmed at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Racine.

She graduated from Lutheran Bible Institute, Minneapolis, Minn., and from Augsburg College, also in Minneapolis. She worked as a parish worker, church secretary, foster parent and respite care provider. She was a volunteer at the Danish Archives at Dana College in Blair.

On May 28, 1955, she married Norman Freund.

The couple moved to Fremont in 1997. Mrs. Freund was an office volunteer and active member of First Lutheran Church in Fremont where her husband has been the director of senior ministries.

Mrs. Freund was a wonderful support to her husband throughout many years of ministry. She was a wonderful mom, grandma, and faithful witness to many.

She is survived by her husband, the Rev. Norman Freund; sons and daughter-in-law, Ronald of Colorado and Randy and Stephanie of Minnesota; daughter and son-in-law, Marcia and Jorge Garcia of Wisconsin; grandchildren, Jared and Hilary Freund of Colorado; Rachel and Steven Freund, Minnesota, and Joel and Jordan Garcia of Wisconsin; two sisters-in-law, Helen Freund of Arizona and Jeanette and Harold Hanen of Fremont; brother-in-law, Terry and Norma Mendenhall of Kansas; and daughter-in-law, Kathy Freund of Colorado; 10 nieces and six nephews.

She was preceded in death by her sister, Ellen Mendenhall.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Danish-American Archives in Blair, FAMC Hospice, First Lutheran Capital Fund or charity of choice.

Ludvigsen Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.