Alfred Henry Gerhard Frerichs,

Alfred Henry Gerhard Frerichs, 98, a life-long resident of Fayette County, died Sept. 20, 2014 at his home in the Holman community. He was born on May 30, 1916 to German immigrant Henry and Anna (Janssen) Frerichs in Rutersville. He married Ore Nell Brandt on Aug. 12, 1945, at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Weimar. Alfred and his family worshipped at St. John Lutheran Church in Rutersville, where he was baptized and confirmed, until the early 1950’s when they joined St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in La Grange, where he was an active member of the choir and men’s groups for many years. Alfred attended Harms School in Rutersville. As a young man, he worked on the family dairy farm, at the Albers Hatchery and Feed Store, in 4-H leadership roles for Fayette County clubs and as a surveyor measuring crop acreage for the ASCS office. He served in the US Army during World War II from 1942 to 1943. Soon after being married, he moved to the Holman community in 1946 where he built the home where he lived and farmed for the remainder of his life. His selfsustaining farming activities included beef, swine and egg production along with crops of cotton, corn and grain sorghum. He maintained a vegetable and fruit garden, even into his 90’s. He enjoyed canning, selling any excess at the local farmer’s market and exhibiting his produce at the Fayette County Fair. In addition to exhibiting produce at the Fair for 80 years, he served as chairman of the Agricultural Department for many decades and was a lifetime Fair Association Director. His passion for farming was demonstrated as a dedicated Farm Bureau member and as one of the founders of the Fayette County Farm Bureau. Alfred was selected to represent the Holman community and diligently worked to expand Farm Bureau throughout Fayette County. He served as a county director for 50 years, serving as county president and Holman president along with chairing various committees. Helping to bring Ag in the Classroom “Ag Day” to Fayette County was one of his proudest accomplishments. In 2003, Alfred received a Texas Farm Bureau Pioneer Award for his leadership and service to Texas Farm Bureau. He was a pioneer in establishing the rural telephone system for the area and served as a director for the Colorado Valley Telephone Co-op. Alfred is survived by his wife of 69 years, Ore Nell (Brandt) Frerichs; daughter, Kathryn Hamm and grandchildren Greg Hamm and wife Monica, and Gretchen Hamm; son, James Frerichs and wife Angie and grandchildren Alex Frerichs and wife Samantha, Lauren Baker and husband Daniel, Marshall Frerichs; Roxanne Mitschke Boyer and husband Chris and Richard Mitschke and wife Regena; daughter, Linda Mathews and husband Melton and grandchildren Jason, Julia, and John Mathews. His great grandchildren include Karen Hamm, Jackie and Michael Pratt (Hamm); Rebekah Frerichs, Liliana Baker, Kaylie and Bethany Boyer, Camden and Kendall Mitschke. He leaves behind sister-inlaw Marian Frerichs; brotherin-law George Brandt and wife Vera; sisters-in-law Berry Lou Stech and Virginia Zimmermann and husband Franklin, along with many nieces, nephews and their families. He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Edna Citzler and husband Arthur, brother Edgar and brothers-in-law Leonard Stech and Gene Ulrich. In his final years, Alfred was blessed with loving caregivers Debbie Piper, Marilyn King and Loretta Pelitier. Visitation will be held Friday, Sept. 26, 2014 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Fayette Memorial Funeral Home. The family will receive visitors from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday evening. Funeral services will be held Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014 at 10 a.m. at St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in La Grange. Burial will follow at the Brandt Family Cemetery in Holman. Memorials may be made to St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church Building Fund, 427 S. Washington, La Grange, TX 78945; Hospice Brazos Valley, 1048 N. Jefferson, La Grange, TX 78945; a charity of your choice. Fayette Memorial Funeral Home in La Grange is in charge of arrangements.