Friederika Aberle

Friederika Aberle, formerly of  Tremont, passed away at Apostolic Christian Restmor at 1:20pm Saturday, February 15, 2020, where she had been a resident.

She was born in Untermitterdorf, Germany - a small Bavarian village in southern Germany - on July 3, 1939, the second daughter of Johann and Frieda (Ebner) Resch. Her older sister, Maria Menath (husband Sepp), survives. In her earliest childhood, her father was away from the family during WWII on the Italian front, returning home when she was 6. This was the first time she met her father. The family lived in the village of Untermitterdorf, around their other extended families, until she was 12 when they moved to Regensburg, where she lived until she moved to the United States.

She met her husband, Ernie W. Aberle, in Regensburg, where he was stationed at Fort Skelly in the US Army. They were married on May 9th, 1956 in the Army chapel. After his discharge in 1957, they traveled on an Army ship to the United States where they settled on the dairy farm started by Ernie’s father and where Ernie was born. Ernie and Frieda had 4 children: Peter (Deborah), Timothy (Candi) both of Tremont, Andrew of Morton, and Heidi (Dean) Sinn of Silverton, Oregon. She was blessed with 17 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren. She also opened her home to a number of foster children and provided other long-term childcare, all of whom were dear to her. Her parents, her husband and her son Peter preceded her in death.

Ernie and Frieda operated their dairy and grain farm near Tremont, IL working together until retiring. She was Ernie’s helpmate in the dairy barn, in the fields, making hay, in the orchard, clearing and maintaining the land, and caring for the other animals. Upon retirement, she continued to be involved in the farm operations helping where needed, but also enjoyed traveling throughout the United States, her European homeland, and many other destinations. For many years they also found great satisfaction from wintering in Sarasota, Florida where they developed and cherished many friendships.

From an early age, Frieda learned how to use her hands, combined with her artistic talents, and applied this gift to many different crafts, handiwork, baking, sewing, home making, and gardening. She especially loved doing handwork by creating quilts, crocheting slippers, socks and hats, designing and embroidering beautiful artwork, cutting patterns and sewing clothes for herself and her daughter, and designing and creating head veils nearly all her life.  Frieda also especially loved to bake, seldom using a recipe, introducing German dishes and cakes to all those she loved. Her grandchildren would request and loved Oma’s pancakes.  Her home was always open. She was an excellent host, having family gatherings as long as she was able, using the dishes that she so enjoyed collecting, including many German glasswares and especially Hummels.   She loved her German heritage, instilling an appreciation in her children for many German traditions and items, traveling there and often spoke German in her home.

She loved working in her garden, creating growing spaces that produced all the family’s vegetables which she stored away for the winter, growing and drying different tea leaves, which allowed her to always offer hot tea when she was hosting. She loved her flowers, designing multi-color beautiful gardens and pots which reminded her of her Bavarian homeland. Her life was a beautiful example of Proverbs 31:13 “She seeketh wool and flax and worketh willingly with her hands.” Planning, saving and providing for her family, and other people she loved, was her greatest passion.

Frieda came to know the Lord Jesus as her Savior as a young wife and mother, modeling her Savior’s love through her lifelong service to others. Along with her modeling a life of servanthood and faith in Christ, as a mother her legacy will be instilling the values of hard work, planning and saving for the future, no waste, orderliness, cleanliness, and diligence in whatever task she did. She was extremely loved and will be missed by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and by all those who knew her.

She was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church of Tremont, where services will be held at 10:00am on Saturday February 22nd, 2020. Ministers of the church will officiate. Visitation will be at Davis-Oswald Funeral Home in Tremont on Friday, February 21st from 2-4pm and 6-8pm and from 9:00-9:45am at the church prior to funeral services on Saturday morning. Burial will be in the Apostolic Christian Cemetery in Tremont.

The family would like to thank Apostolic Christian Restmor for the outpouring of love and professional care Mom received there. Any memorials can be made to the Apostolic Christian Restmor, Inc in Morton.

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