Glenn A. Frederick

Glenn A. “Freddy” Frederick, 88, of Clear Lake, passed away Feb. 5, 2023, at MercyOne Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City, Iowa.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Richland Lutheran Church, Thornton, Iowa, and to MercyOne North Iowa Hospice, Mason City.

Glenn was born Aug. 31, 1934, in the home of his Aunt Minnie and Uncle Roy Frederick near Dubuque, Iowa. The first of eight children of Al and Lucille (Kramer) Frederick, he grew up in the small town of Durango, Iowa. From kindergarten through eighth grade, he attended a one-room school half-a-mile north of town. 

He then attended junior high and high school in Dubuque, graduating from Dubuque Senior High in 1952. Glenn did well academically, which he believed was due to the one-room school concept where students were exposed to class work of every grade every year. During high school, he attended Boys State in Des Moines and was elected senior class president. 

Deciding not to attend college right away, Glenn joined the Navy for four years, to see the world. After boot camp in California, he boarded a ship in Virginia. After his service he looked back on having experienced two Caribbean cruises, a nine-month round-the-world cruise, a Mediterranean-Persian Gulf cruise and nearly a year of job training in Washington D.C. Aboard the U.S.S. James C. Owens, a destroyer, he was involved in the operation of computers and radar that controlled firing certain of the ship’s guns. 

The Navy time included stops in England, France, Spain, Italy, Ethiopia, Yemen, Tripoli, Bermuda, Havana, Cuba, Philippines, Japan, and Hawaii, plus traveling through the Suez Canal and Panama Canal. 

After his discharge in 1957, he decided to earn a teaching degree from Wisconsin State University in Platteville and a Master’s Degree in agricultural journalism from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. In between earning the degrees, he taught French and journalism at the Platteville college. While there, friends arranged a blind date with Delores Bentz, the art teacher for the Platteville schools. Three months and eight days later, they were married on June 24, 1963. Already a recognized artist, Delores has been involved in artist groups and adult art instruction and produced hundreds of paintings. 

By 1970, they had three children- Lynne, Gregory, and Douglas- he’d taught more years at high school and college levels and had the experience of publishing two weekly newspapers for four years. The next three decades included teaching and public relations agency work for agricultural companies. That included 11 years as partner at a Cedar Falls, Iowa agency, Freiberg-Frederick and Associates. 

At age 13, Glenn said he wanted to write and travel. In addition to the many ports of call in the Navy, his years of writing and photography for client companies involved travel all across Canada, all the European countries from Italy to Scotland, Mexico, Chile, Venezuela and in 49 U.S states. The family made many trips during those years, with son Doug having been in 38 states by age five. Glenn’s mother and mother-in-law joined them on some trips. 

After retiring from agency work, he spent the next 18 years at part-time work, with some snowbird travel in the winter. A long-time member of Lutheran congregations in Waterloo and Thornton, Iowa, He served both churches as treasurer. 

He regretted that his travel-orientated work caused him to be away from his wife and children. He missed a good deal of the children’s school and growing up activities, but was proud of their life choices. He was Grandpa to their seven children. 

Glenn is survived by Delores (Bentz), his wife of 59 years; three children, Lynne Wieden (Robert), Gregory Frederick (Cheryl), Douglas Frederick (Tracy); three sisters, LaVonne Latham, Kathy Hantelmann (Mark), Linda Oberbroeckling (Thomas); three brothers, Roger Frederick, Ronnie Frederick, Jerry Frederick (Marilyn); seven grandchildren, Trent, Tia, Mitchell, Zachary, Julissa, Grace, and Isabella. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister Rebecca. 

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel. 641-357-2193. ColonialChapels.com