Wade, Freda Marie

Freda Marie Wade, 89, died at the Highland Ridge Care Center in Williamsburg on Saturday, June 1, 2013. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 6, at the Powell Funeral Home and Cremation Service in North English. The Rev. Michelle Williamson will officiate. Visitation will be at the funeral home from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in the North English Cemetery.

A memorial fund has been established for English Valleys Dollars For Scholars.

Messages and tributes may be left at under obituaries.

Freda was born on Aug. 2, 1923, in Pekin, Iowa, a daughter of Fred and Grace Zepp McCreery. Freda grew up in the Pekin community and graduated from Martinsburg High School. She attended Central College and later William Penn College. She married Walter E. “Bud” Wade on May 17, 1945, in Ottumwa, Iowa. They made their home in North English where she taught elementary school (third grade, second grade and kindergarten) in the North English and English Valleys School Districts for 43 years, retiring in 1985. Upon retirement, she and Bud moved to San Juan, Texas, but she returned to North English after his death. She moved to Highland Ridge in Williamsburg in 2010.

Freda is survived by her children, Claudia (Harold) Gillette of Winthrop, Jim (Linda) of South English and John (Joyce Becker) of Jackson, Mo.; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brother, Keith McCreery; two sisters, Lela Gwen Smith and Lena Pearl Hayes; and an infant grandson.

Published in The Gazette June 4, 2013.