Frieda Marie (Hovda) Jensen, 88
Published 9:58 am Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Frieda Marie Jensen, 88, passed away May 9, 2016, at Grand Meadow Health Care Center surrounded by her husband, children and daugher-in-law.
Frieda Marie (Hovda) Jensen, 88
Frieda was born Sept. 8th, 1927, in Racine Township, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Thaulow and Amalia (Bengsten) Hovda. She attended grade school in rural Grand Meadow, and graduated from Grand Meadow High School class of 1947. On Aug. 18, 1951, Frieda married Harold Jensen at Bear Creek Lutheran Church. The couple had three children, Elea (1952), Howard (1954) and Eric (1959).
Frieda was a lifetime member of Bear Creek Lutheran Church where she was a Sunday School teacher for over 40 years. She was an active member of Ladies Aid and Circle, and the Bear Creek Church Choir. Her life revolved around her family and her church.
She was employed as a nurses aid at Meadow Manor Nursing Home in Grand Meadow for more than 20 years, was head housekeeper there for five years, and worked at Hardees in Stewartville as a biscuit maker and kitchen helper for two years.
Frieda had many wonderful artistic talents including: playing the piano by ear, Rosemaling (a Norwegian folk art), and gardening. She could sit down and play any hymn by ear, often singing along. Her love of music was passed on to her children and grandchildren. There are several hundreds of beautiful examples of her Rosemaling on cabinets, chests, mink boards, and many other craft items. She also loved to share her love of Rosemaling by teaching friends and family. She signed her Rosemaling with “Anna Fritz” (everyone’s Aunt Fritzie). Her love of flowers and gardening and was always a part of her life. She had flower beds, rose beds, hasta beds, berries, and had a large vegetable garden every year until she suffered a stroke in August 2013.
Her greatest gift to all she touched was her hugs, smiles, and endearing terms of “Oh, honey,” “You little darlings,” and “Oh, forever more.” She was always inviting and very genuine. Everyone wanted to adopt her as their mom, grandma or auntie. She was our “little love-a-dee” (Grandma Amalia’s pet name for her).
Frieda is survived by her husband Harold Jensen, her three children; Elea Ulh of Decorah Iowa, Howard (Patricia) Jensen and Eric Jensen — both of Grand Meadow, Minnesota, four grandchildren; Matthew (Andrea) Finholt-Daniel, Megan (Joel) Hansen, Trey Jensen and Trista Jensen and four great grandchildren; Amalia, Graham, and Owen (Finholt-Daniel) and Boden (Hansen). She is also survived by her brothers; Hjalmer “Buddy” (Gretchen) Hovda of Progreso, Texas, Thaulow “Sky” (Darlene) Hovda of Wabasha, Minnesota and sister Amalia “Molly” (Howard) Paschke of Blue Earth, Minnesota. Frieda was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Herman and Oliver Hovda and sisters Margaret Close and Betsy Anderson.
Her funeral service will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, at Bear Creek Lutheran Church in Grand Meadow, Minnesota, with the reviewal starting at noon. Interment will take place at Bear Creek Lutheran Cemetery immediately following the service.
Condolences may be left at www.Hindtfuneralhomes.com