Margaret Freerksen

Margaret (Bartelt) Freerksen, age 84, of Janesville, died peacefully on Saturday, July 20, 2013, at the Sterling House in Mankato.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at 11:00 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville, with the Rev. Jack Dahl, officiating. Interment will be held at the Woodville Cemetery in Waseca.

Visitation will be held at the church on Tuesday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Arrangements are being completed by the Arnoldt-McRaith Funeral Home & Crematory of Janesville.

Margaret Marie, the daughter of Henry and Marie (Yackel) Luehring, was born September 25, 1928, in Springfield, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed at the Zion Lutheran Church in Sanborn, Minnesota. Margaret graduated high school in 1946 from Dr. Martin Luther High School in New Ulm and continued her education for one year at Mankato Commercial College. On September 2, 1949, she was united in marriage to Holland Bartelt at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Nicollet. They were blessed with three children, Anne, Barbara, and Michael. Margaret worked at Federated Insurance in Owatonna in her younger years and also at E.F Johnson in Waseca until her retirement in 1980. Holland later preceded her in death on September 22, 1978.

Following Holland's death, Margaret was united in marriage to Raymond Freerksen on August 2, 1980, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Janesville. After their marriage they lived in Dodge Center for many years and spent many good times together with family and friends before Raymond's passing on September 30, 1995. She later moved to Janesville in June of 2012 to be closer to her family and most recently had been living at the Sterling House in Mankato.

Margaret enjoyed cross stitching, walking, being outdoors, and spending time with her family and friends.

She is survived by her children, Anne (Timothy) Russow of New Hope, Barbara (Robert) Fixsen of Wabasso, and Michael (Pamela) Bartelt of Mankato; her stepchildren, Doris Trahms of Janesville, Kenneth (LaVonne) Freerksen of Kasson, Roger (Sheila) Freerksen of Dodge Center, Michael (Gayle) Freerksen of Dodge Center, Robert (Kim) Freerksen of Harmony, Dennis (Kim) Freerksen of Little River, TX, Harold Freerksen of Harmony and Brian Freerksen of Dodge Center; her eight grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren along with many step grandchildren and great grandchildren; her sister Ruth Redwing of Mt. Horeb, WI; her sister-in-law, Irene Luehring of Kaukauna, WI, and by many other nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Holland and Raymond; her brother-in-law, Darwin Redwing; her brother, Wilbert Luehring, and by her stepson, James Freerksen.