Obituary Record

Freda Sophia Rebecca (Hermann) Forsberg
Died on 11/28/2002
Buried in Herman Cemetery

Pilot Tribune 3 Dec 2002

Funeral services for former Herman resident, Freda Forsberg, 93, of Cambridge, were held Monday, Dec. 2, 2002, at the Herman Community Church. Interment was in the Herman Cemetery. Mrs. Forsberg died Nov. 28, at the Cambridge Manor.

Freda Sophia Rebecca Hermann was born Nov. 30, 1908, to John and Lena (Buckmann) Hermann on the family farm near Avoca. She was raised in a German community, where German was spoken at home and in the church, and learned English when she attended school.

She loved school. Her greatest regret was that she was not allowed to attend school past the eighth grade. She excelled in school, and graduated from the eighth grade when she was 12 years old. She longed to go to high school and become a teacher, but had to stay home on the farm and help her mother.

She loved music and enjoyed singing in the church choir with her father. As a child, she played both the piano and organ. Her favorite music was Bohemian (German) dance music, and her favorite song was, “What A Friend We Have in Jesus.”

She was baptized at six weeks of age at the farm, and joined the North Branch Evangelical Lutheran Church when she was 14.

As soon as she was able to leave home, she found work as a hired girl and saved her money until she had enough to attend beauty school. In 1935, she graduated from the Black School of Cosmetology in Lincoln. She worked for a short time at the Hollywood Beauty Shop in Lincoln, then heard that there would be a beauty shop for sale in Herman. She moved there and worked for Loraine Eriksen until she was able to open her own shop, the Herman Beauty Shop. She enjoyed working with people, and had her shop in her home so that she was always there for her family. She operated her beauty shop until she was 70.

She met her husband, John C. Forsberg, at the restaurant where they both had meals. She was attracted to his cheery disposition and sparkly brown eyes. The couple both loved to sing and dance.

On Nov. 9, 1936, they were married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Omaha. With the exception of just a few months when they lived in Arlington, the couple lived their entire married life in Herman.

Mrs. Forsberg was a devoted mother and grandmother. After her husband’s death in 1973, she enjoyed traveling to Florida to spend winters with her daughter and grandchildren. At the age of 92, she was still “flying the friendly skies” to Florida.

Her favorite Bible verse was the 23rd Psalm. She also loved to read, do crossword puzzles and play cards. For years, her only entertainment away from home was her monthly Pinochle card club. Her favorite season was fall and her favorite holiday was Christmas. She loved flowers, and always had flower gardens and plants in her home. She enjoyed watching he son, Butch, play basketball. She was an excellent seamstress and taught both daughters to sew; she also loved to knit and crochet.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

Printed in the Washington County Pilot-Tribune on 12/3/2002


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