Pauline Frazee

Pauline Frazee passed away on July 19, 2017 at the age of 91. She was born on
March 30, 1926 to Waldo and Rosalia Ekeberg in Dayton, Iowa.
Pauline attended elementary and high school in Dayton. During her high school career,
she developed a love for playing basketball, volleyball, and softball. Iowa was very
progressive with women’s sports and Pauline excelled, especially in basketball. With
her father being a strict Lutheran pastor, she was not allowed to play basketball on
Sundays, so she would improvise by making a basket of sorts on her bedroom door so
she could still practice on Sunday. She later attended college at Augustana College in
Rock Island, Illinois, where she continued to play basketball. She was even featured on
a poster advertising Coke as it was becoming more popular. She remained in contact
with her closest friends from college throughout her life. Her love of sports also
continued throughout her life. She enjoyed talking baseball, especially with her late son
in law, Dan.
After graduating from college, Pauline taught PE and coached volleyball in Rock Island,
Illinois. Later, she moved to Pelican Rapids with her parents; her father had taken a
part time position at Central Lutheran Church after retirement. She taught high school
PE, Health, and a few other classes as assigned.
While living in Pelican, Pauline met Fremont through mutual friends in 1948. After
several years of courtship, they married in 1953 in Ft Collins, Colorado, where her
parents and a sister lived. This was followed by a six-week honeymoon along the West
Coast, mostly California.
After the honeymoon, they began their married lives in Pelican Rapids and Fish Lake.
They moved to Fergus Falls in 1964, where they lived for the rest of their lives. They
had three children: Paula, Linda, and Jana. Her children and later, grandchildren, were
the focal point of her life. Once they had children, Pauline was a homemaker for
several years.
Once the girls were in high school and junior high school, Pauline began working
outside the home. She did some substitute teaching and tutoring for Fergus Falls
Public Schools. She was greatly appreciated by the students and parents of the
students she tutored. Later, she became the church secretary at Augustana Lutheran
Church. She thoroughly enjoyed working at Augustana, working at church and further
developing relationships with the people of Augustana. She continued to work there
until she was 80! At that point, she felt that technology was moving too fast for her to
keep up. That was her excuse for retiring anyway!
Pauline was also active socially. She enjoyed her friends, quilting at church, reading
club, birthday club, singing in the church choir, circle, and the concert series. When
Luke, Ryan, and Laura came along, (children of Paula and the late Dan Sperling), there
was nothing more important to her than attending their events and supporting their
endeavors. She also enjoyed baking their favorite treats, especially on holidays and
their birthdays. Linda, their Down Syndrome daughter, was very special to both Pauline
and Fremont. She passed away in December of 2015 and was greatly missed!
In October of 2016, Pauline moved to Mill Street Residence in Fergus. Mill Street was a
perfect fit for her, giving her the opportunity to meet new people and freedom from the
upkeep of her own home.
One of her favorite movies was “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Quoting from that movie again,
as was done in Fremont’s obituary, “All you can take with you is that which you’ve given
away... that things of true worth are not measured in dollars, but in the currency of
friendship and family, and the good karma one puts out into the world.” Like Fremont,
she gave so many so much, most of which did not cost much money or give her any
recognition.
Pauline was a friend to many, a favorite aunt to many nieces and nephews, a constant
source of support to her children, and a very much beloved grandmother. She was a
rock, a moral compass, a servant. She lived her life in service to others following
Christ’s example.
She has now received her reward. May she rest in peace.
Pauline was preceded in death by her parents, all her siblings, her daughter, Linda, and
son in law, Dan.
Pauline is survived by her daughters Paula Frazee-Sperling and Jana Frazee, and
grandchildren Luke (Megan) Sperling, Ryan Sperling, and Laura Sperling.
The funeral for Pauline will be at Augustana Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls on
Saturday, July 22 with visitation beginning at 10:00 and the funeral service at 11:00.
Interment will be at Lakeview Cemetery in Pelican Rapids at approximately 1:45.
Online condolences may be sent to www.OlsonFuneralHome.com