Services for Mrs. Freda Gardner Smith were held 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019 at Milling Funeral Home Chapel of Union with burial in the Union City cemetery. Dr. Jon Martin officiated.
Visitation was held 1:30-3 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Mrs. Smith, 87, of Union, died Feb. 13, 2019.Just five days after her 87th birthday, Freda Kathleen (Gardner) Smith went to be with the Lord. She is preceded in death by her husband, Austin, and son, Michael. She was a native of Union, Miss. but traveled the world supporting her husband’s 30-year naval career, with children born in Tennessee, Hawaii and Taiwan. 
To say she was strong-willed would be an understatement, but Freda was also loving, giving, attentive, and never knew a stranger. Her knack to strike up a conversation with anyone was unrivaled and within ten minutes she would determine how they were related or connected.
Many may not know she was an educator. Earning a bachelor’s degree in home economics from the University of Southern Mississippi, she went on to teach elementary education in places such as Italy, Florida, Virginia and Mississippi. After traveling the world, she and her husband retired to Union. Later in life she went on to teach at the Choctaw Tribal Schools. Freda’s talents included expert cooking skills, with her family most enjoying her authentic Chinese dishes. She learned the art of floral design, played the piano, was a seamstress, a Cub Scout Den leader and knew how to entertain and thoroughly enjoy the company of people from all walks of life. Before her husband passed, Freda insisted on learning how to do basic chainsaw repairs, so she could continue to support customers who had purchased from his shop in Union.
Freda served as a volunteer for many years at Laird Hospital, holding several leadership roles. She lovingly helped to serve patients, run the gift shop, order supplies and manage the accounting. She delighted in giving attention to patients who might not have visitors. Freda also enjoyed her role working with Woodman and served faithfully as an organizer and in leadership roles right up until she passed. She organized many community events, including a town flag ceremony on Memorial Day, with many citizens in attendance.
Survivors include a daughter, Phyllis Kate Mauck (Mick) of Hollywood, Maryland, and a son, Kevin Smith (Kim) of Prosper, Texas. She had four beautiful granddaughters whom she loved dearly, Sydney Smith, Savannah Smith, Tracie Wiesemann (Tim) and Rachel Lindblad (Nathan). She had the joy of being a great-grandmother to two ginger-haired darlings, Kylee and Anderson (Andy) Wiesemann. Also surviving are brothers Charles Gardner and Chet Gardner; and sisters, Ruth White (John) and Margaret Ely. She was blessed with two “extra” daughters, her nieces, Kama Weinberger (Hackey) and Susan Hersey Becker. She had numerous other nieces and nephews that she loved. She was the daughter of Huron and Lorene Gardner.
Hers was a life lived to the full, and she will be terribly missed by trusted friends as well as beloved family.
Pallbearers were Rusty Russell, Brian Gordon, Chris Gardner, Tim Wiesemann, Nathan Lindblad, Clayton Bohlman
