Funeral services for Freda Sprecher, age 99, of New Leipzig, ND, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 29, 2013 at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Leipzig, ND. Pastor John Amundson will officiate and burial will follow at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery north of New Leipzig, ND.

Freda Baesler was born on October 4, 1913, on the family homestead north of New Leipzig, ND, to Daniel and Wilhelemina (Bierwagon) Baesler. She was one of eighteen children. Freda grew up on the family farm and attended a local country school. Following her schooling, she began working on the farm and also worked for the Carl Schaffer family as a nanny.

Two of Freda's sisters were married, and through them she was introduced to Reinhold Sprecher. Freda and Reinhold were united in marriage on August 18, 1934, at the Trinity Lutheran Church north of New Leipzig. To this union, two sons were born; Lloyd and Marley. Freda took the role of farmwife with ease, and enjoyed milking cows and raising chickens, along with raising a big garden and flowerbed.

She was a wonderful baker, and said that she never bought bread at the store. She also enjoyed cooking, and could make an excellent meal from leftovers she had. Reinhold passed away in 1971 and in 1972 Freda moved into New Leipzig. She entered Dakota Hills on October 25, 2005 and later moved to the Jacobson Memorial Care Center in 2008.

Freda loved making afghans for her family; knitted many pairs of slippers for her grandchildren; and in her earlier years on the farm, made homemade cottage cheese.

Freda passed away on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at the Jacobson Memorial Care Center in Elgin, ND.

She is survived by two sons, Lloyd (Deloris) Sprecher, New Leipzig, ND, and Marley (Julie) Sprecher, Elgin, ND; 6 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great grandchildren; one sister, Wilhelemina (Hank) Sandau, Stockton, CA; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Reinhold; her parents, Daniel and Wilhelemina Baesler; one grandson, John Sprecher; one great-grandson, Jeremy Linghor; and 16 brothers and sisters, August, Otto, Rudolph, Gustave, Pauline, Emma, Melinda, Arthur, Emil, Reinhold, Adolph, Lydia, Ella, Daniel, Clara and Ervin.

Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, 2013 at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Elgin, ND, and one hour prior to services at the church on Monday morning.

A memorial has been established to the Immanuel Lutheran Church in New Leipzig.