Geraldine Valeria Frueh
- Frueh, Geraldine Valeria LaGant, born November 19,1923, passed away Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at age 100. Gerry was born on the LaGant family farm in Bond County Illinois, the daughter of Ernest and Dora Ethel Drake LaGant in a family of 7 siblings. She and her siblings walked the three miles to the one room school they attended. In her late teens, Gerry moved to St. Louis and lived with her sister, Velma, and she found employment in a munitions factory during WWII. She loved the responsibility of participating as part of the war effort. After her marriage on April 25, 1944, she and Charlie lived in Greenville, Illinois, eventually moving to Springfield, Illinois in 1957, where they lived until their retirement. In Springfield, Gerry operated Gerry’s Beauty Shop for 30 years, with most of her ladies, as she called them, staying as clientele over all 30 years. The Frueh’s retired to Knoxville, Tennessee in 1988 and became members of Wallace Memorial Baptist Church.
Preceded in death by husband of 67 years, Charles Joseph Frueh; son, Dennis Frueh and infant grandson, Charles Adrian Nelson. Gerry is survived by her daughters, Linda (Jon) Loney and Rochelle (Adrian) Nelson of Knoxville, as well as her daughter-in-law, Patricia Frueh (Dennis) Vazzi of Springfield, Illinois. Granddaughters are Rebecca Loney (Matt) Jordan, and Melissa Loney (Kevin) Stevens of Knoxville, Andrea Frueh (Tom) Fishwick of Glencoe, Illinois, Victoria Nelson of East Lansing, Michigan and Alexandra (Kory) Nelson-Tomlinson of Austin, Texas, as well as 5 great grandchildren. Gerry spent her life devoted to her husband, her faith, and her family. These were her greatest accomplishments and joys. She was also someone whom the words ‘fresh and clean’ were often uttered, and she found great joy in putting that extra shine on anything she deemed worthy of improvement with a tiny shot of Windex. Undoubtedly, the pearly gates and street of gold will shine brighter with her presence there.
The family would like to thank Pastor Kent Williams of Wallace Memorial Baptist Church, her physician Dr. Robert Alley, and the staff of the memory care unit at American House and Hospice care, who took wonderful care of Gerry these past 10 months.
A private graveside service was held at Lynnhurst Cemetery prior to her entombment. Memorial contributions may be made to Wallace Memorial Baptist Church, 701 Merchant Drive, Knoxville TN 37912. Berry Lynnhurst Funeral Home, 2300 W. Adair Dr., Knoxville, TN 37918 (865) 689-8888. Condolences may be offered at www.berrylynnhurst.com.