Delphin John Freund, 77, of Austin, passed away Tuesday evening, March 8, 2011, at the Adams Healthcare Center.

Del was born June 22, 1933, in Johnsburg, Minn. to Isidore and Katherine (Klapperich) Freund. He spent his youth in Johnsburg, attending St. John the Baptist Catholic School and working in his parent’s general store. He attended high school in Adams and graduated in 1951. Del enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1953 and served in the Korean War in Okinawa for two years.

On October 4, 1955, he was joined in marriage to his high school sweetheart, Phyllis Rech, at Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Austin. Del worked for the Golden Dairy for 15 years. In 1968, he became an agent with American Family Insurance where he worked until his retirement in 1998 after experiencing a hemorrhagic stroke. He was a longtime member of St. Edward’s Catholic Church where he served as a lector and communion minister for many years. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, American Legion and Moose Lodge.

Del was an avid baseball player and played first base on his high school team. After graduation he continued to play ball with the Johnsburg Johnnies. In later years, his interest turned to the Twins. He visited the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., on one of his many visits across the country with his wife. He also participated in the Boston Red Sox Baseball Fantasy Camp in Fort Myers, Fla., when he was 62.

Del loved dancing, playing cards and camping with family and friends. He especially enjoyed spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He traveled across Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota to attend athletic and performance events of his grandchildren. A side trip to a casino for a few hands of black jack was usually on the itinerary as well. Del and Phyllis went on many casino junkets with their camper.

Survivors include his wife, Phyllis of Austin; children, Jean (Rod) McDermott of Austin, Lori (Doug) Dahl of North Aurora, Ill., Dale (Sally) Freund of Cottage Grove, Wis., Renee (Don) Simmons of Marion, Iowa, Peggy (Larry) Besser of Sauk Rapids; nine grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sisters, Ardella Dahle of Placerville, Calif., Lucille (Kenneth) Blaser of Osage, Iowa, Virginia (Dean) Elliot of Adams, Bertilla Noble of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mary Orth of Pine River, Angela Smith of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; brothers, John (Jeanne) Freund of Winona, Raphael (Ruth) Freund of Johnsburg; many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Isidore and Katherine Freund; sister, Lucina Blaser; brothers-in-law, Don “Butch” Smith, Larry Orth, Howard Dahle, and Harlan Rech.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, at St. Edward’s Catholic Church with Father Joe Fogal officiating. There will be a 6:30 p.m. wake service on Friday at Mayer Funeral Home where friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. and also one hour before the service at the church on Saturday. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery with military rites by American Legion Post 91.

Memorials are preferred to St. Edward’s Catholic Church or the Adams Healthcare Center.