Marjorie Elizabeth Frad

Marjorie Elizabeth Walstrom (Frad) was born to Walter and Carrie (Hagedorn) Walstrom on a farm near Royal Iowa August 20, 1929.

Her early school years she would walk to the one room schoolhouse close to their farm. Later she and her siblings would attend Rossie school system. Eventually Rossie joined with Greenville, and she played basketball her entire High School career as a guard. She was also involved in music Marjorie had a beautiful voice and she loved to sing and play the piano.

While in high school she meant Bobby Ray Frad. They dated during high school and even after graduation. Following graduation, she moved to Spencer and worked as the office assistant at the Extension office for a short while then began work at JC Penney’s as a salesclerk. She also modeled for Penney’s in the local paper. Bobby and Marjorie eventually married on August 31, 1950, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Royal, Iowa. They moved to their first house in Greenville, Iowa. In 1954 their first child was born a daughter, Rebecca and then in 1956 a son was born, Jeffrey. In the early years she was at home and enjoyed baking, embroidering, and spending time with their children. Eventually Bobby changed jobs, and they moved to Spencer, Iowa. Marjorie continued to stay home enjoying time with their children as well as sewing, embroidering, singing, playing the piano and baking. Thursday was bread day, and the house smelled so good when we came home from school. As the children became older, she returned to work at JC Penney’s as an office bookkeeper. She was offered a position at the Women’s Shop, so she changed jobs for a few years until Gaylord Jewelry offered her a position, but her true love was working with JC Penney’s and she returned to the bookkeeper position until she retired.

In her retirement she returned to sewing, embroidering, and baking as well as attending school events for the grandchildren. She and Dad were the grandchildren’s biggest supporters! But retirement for her was boring. So, she began working at Hallmark in downtown Spencer where she clerked and oversaw the displays. She worked there several years and eventually retired for the second time.

Marjorie was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Spencer, Iowa. She and Bobby raised their children there. She participated in teaching Sunday School, was an accompanist for the Children’s Choir, led women’s circle and served on the Church Council. In later years she was one of the founding members of Faith Lutheran Church in Spencer, Iowa. Her church and her faith were very important to her.

Marjorie passed peacefully on September 29 at the Spencer hospital surrounded by family.

Marjorie is survived by her daughter Rebecca and husband Carl Simons, their children Matthew Simons, Rachel and her husband Drew Yearby and their children Luke and Emma, Phillip and wife Stephanie Simons and their children Nathan and Levi. Her son Jeffrey and wife Corinne Frad, their children, Carrie Frad, Laura and Alex Lansing and their children Cora, Adalinn, and Sybil.

For livestream of the funeral service please go to https://www.youtube.com/@flcspencer