Rose Marie (Widmayer) Fredericks, 81, passed away peacefully Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at OSF St Elizabeth Hospital. Visitation will be Monday, July 1st from 4-7pm at Ottawa Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, July 2nd at 10am with Fr. Driscoll officiating. She will be laid to rest in the Ottawa Avenue Cemetery.
Rose was born on April 9, 1943 to William and Anna (Minkos) Widmayer in Ottawa, where she lived nearly her whole life. She attended St. Francis Grade School followed by Ottawa Township High School, graduating in the Class of 1961. She married Arnold Fredericks on June 24, 1961 in St Francis Church in Ottawa.
Rose worked in the food service industry her whole life. In her early days she worked as a waitress and then a sales clerk at a local bakery. She then took time out to raise her 4 children, Billy, Vicki, Linda, and Mickey, but jumped back into the working world when she, along with a great bunch of West side moms, became the first group of Lunch Ladies at Lincoln Elementary School when they added a hot school lunch program for the kids. She was referred to by many of the kids as ‘The Ice Cream Lady” and absolutely loved the job she did. She was also a very active member of the Lincoln School PTA and served on the board for many years, organizing events for the families that attended the school. Rose was also a Campfire Girls group leader for many years and truly enjoyed planning projects, events and field trips for the girls. Some of her best times were taking the girls to Camp Tuckabatchee for weekend trips and organizing annual trips to Great America for any kid with $29 bucks and a signed permission slip! She escorted many, many kids on those trips.
When her kids were older, she went on to cook at both the Ottawa Pavilion and the LaSalle County Nursing Home. She absolutely loved working and assisting the elderly residents while providing them tasty meals and desserts.
Rose enjoyed traveling, often times just getting in the car with Linda and setting off to perhaps nowhere but ending up somewhere wonderful. They were always in search of new cuisine while enjoying their old favorites. They often went to Arcola and the Amish country, as well as, Branson, Missouri. Many times, the two of them ventured out for Sammy Kershaw concerts and events as probably some of his biggest fans. She and Michelle even braved getting on an airplane to Germany to visit her daughter Vicki, John and grandkids and, turns out, she went to high school with the pilot!
Besides the love she had for her children and her kitty cats, she had a great love for her 6 grandchildren. One of Rose’s proudest moments was when she gained the title, Great Grandma, or GiGi as she was affectionately referred to. But her saddest was when she lost her son, Bill, in 2018.
Rose is survived by her 3 daughters, Vicki (John) McConnell, Linda Fredericks and Michelle (Dave) Reed; her grand-children, Stephen (Kelly) McConnell, Amanda (David) Waddell, Bethany McConnell, Jarrett Reed, Abby Reed and Cheryl (Garrott) Villacrez; her great grandchildren, Ella, Benjamin and Charlotte Waddell, Ashlyn and John McConnell and Georgia Villacrez; and a brother, Don (Miriam) Widmayer of California.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son, Bill (William); and a brother, Francis.
Pallbearers will be her grandchildren along with her son in law, John McConnell. Honorary pallbearer will be her son, in law Dave Reed.
Memorials can be directed to the family.
The online guest book may be viewed and remembrances shared at www.ottawafuneralhome.com
Ottawa Funeral Home & Crematory
1111 LaSalle St, Ottawa Illinois 61350
815-433-0300
www.ottawafuneralhome.com