Funeral services for Richard “Dick” Freerksen will be held 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, at the LeRoy Lutheran Church in LeRoy, MN, with Pastor Herman Bakker officiating. Burial will take place in the LeRoy Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be held 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014 at the Hindt Funeral Home in LeRoy, MN, and one hour prior to the service at the church.

Richard “Dick” Freerksen, 71, of LeRoy, Minn., passed away Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minn. Richard Lee Freerksen (Peanut) was born Oct. 25, 1942, in Lawn Hill, Iowa, to Donald and Lydia (Steinfeldt) Freerksen. He moved to the LeRoy area in 1950. Richard graduated from McIntire High School. After high school, he farmed and worked on the Great Western Railroad. On Aug. 28, 1965, he married Mary Ann Kempe, and he continued farming crops and livestock. He also worked as a Section Foreman on the Milwaukee Railroad out of LeRoy and was a self-employed carpenter in and out of the LeRoy area. Richard enjoyed playing softball, racing cars and go-carts, playing cards with his coffee drinking buddies, and helping friends and family in need. Richard and Mary Ann raised five children throughout their years: Timothy (Kinda) Freerksen of LeRoy; Mary (Steve) Lunning of LeRoy; Jane (Dave) MacKay of Fountain, Minn.; Gary Freerksen (Michelle King) of Brownsdale, Minn.; and Beverly Freerksen (Mark Swancutt) of Chester, Iowa; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Richard is also survived by his wife, Mary Ann of LeRoy; brother, Larry (Elaine) Freerksen of Riceville, Iowa; and sister, Shirley (Orville) Clark of Rochester; He was preceded in death by parents Donald and Lydia, son-in-law, Mark Swancutt, brother, Glen Freerksen, sister, Donna Spencer, four brothers-in-law, and four nephews. Condolences may be left online at www.hindtfuneralhomes.com.