Funeral services for Fred J. Effken, 85, will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 7, at the First Lutheran Church with Rev. J. David Nelson officiating. Burial will be in the Herman, Nebraska, Cemetery. A prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Campbell-Aman Funeral Home.

Frederick Johann Effken died June 4, 1989, at the Memorial Community Hospital in Blair after a short illness.

He was born in Ostfriesland, Germany, near Wilhemshaven on May 22, 1904, to Johann H. and Catharina M. Dirks Effken. His early years were spent in Dykhausen, Germany.

He was baptized August 1, 1904, and confirmed April 13, 1919, in the Lutheran Church in Neustadt Goedens. He attended school in Dykhausen and he took three years apprenticeship in business.

When he was 19 years old he came to the United States on November 26, 1923. He arived at Talmage, Nebraska. He worked in a general store for eight years.

He married Letta Wendell on May 6, 1930, at Cook, Nebraska. Three children were born to this couple, Margaret, Dean and Mary Ann. The family moved to Herman, Nebraska in 1937 where Fred managed the Farmers Union Co-op store for 34 years. He retired in 1971 and moved to Blair.

He is a member of First Lutheran Church.

Fred is survived by his wife Letta; three children, Margaret (Mrs. Hurley) Ray, Tekamah, Nebraska; Mary Ann (Mrs. Robert) Jensen of Climbing Hill, Iowa; and Dean Effken of Holland, Michigan. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Herman and a grandson Thomas Ray.

Campbell-Aman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.