Steven L. Fredrickson

A Celebration of Life for Steve "Freddie" L. Fredrickson will be held on Sunday, June 23 at the Lower Shelter in Ramsey Park in Redwood Falls from 11AM - 3 PM. 

Arrangements are with Nelson-Hillestad Funeral and Cremation Services of Redwood Falls and Morgan. E-mail condolences may be sent via www.nelson-hillestad.com.

Steve/Fred was born December 23, 1950, in Redwood Falls, MN to Allan and Evelyn Fredrickson (Dandurand). He was the middle of 5 children and grew up in Redwood Falls. He attended the Redwood Catholic School and Redwood Falls High School. 

A jack of many trades, he worked in hot tar flat roofing with his cousins and sold T-shirts and hot sauce for The T-shirt Man at state and county fairs and colleges. He worked for Central Bi-Products and hauled grease for Midwest Grease Buyers. He also disassembled and reassembled grain bins and worked at the Sugar Beet Plant. 

Fred loved the outdoors and nature. He loved camping and whitewater canoeing and did so all over MN, WI and MI. In the late 1980’s he and his friend Larry Knigge researched and meticulously planned a 6-week canoe trip of hundreds of miles through the Northwest Territories. It was a dream fulfilled. He loved to travel. He spent time in CA, OR, AZ, Canada and many other states across the country. He was thrilled when he later traveled to Europe with his friends Hartley and Marsha Limogies. 

He was a great racquetball player, loved pool and was an excellent player! Fred was a gourmet cook and loved to eat. He collected many, many recipes! He enjoyed going “mushroom hunting” and was usually quite successful! Fred was also an avid reader whose interests varied greatly. He loved doing crossword puzzles… but ONLY in pen! 

He married Mary Kaufenberg (Redding) in Las Vegas and became a stepfather to Amy Boettger (Kaufenberg), Jon Kaufenberg and Paula Jo Muske (Kaufenberg).

Fred met Bear (Karen) Haak in 1993 when she was 29 and he was 43 and he then became a stepfather again. He was a confidante and friend to Bear’s son Zach Haak. Fred and Bear had just celebrated 30 years together on New Year’s Eve in 2023. 

Also loved by Fred were about 30 cats he’d had in his lifetime and is very missed by Cry Baby Orion (CB).

Fred passed away peacefully in his home on February 12, 2024. He was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother Greg and his father-in-law Bruce Goldner. He is survived by his fiancé Bear (Karen) Haak; siblings Michael (Jolly Tager), Renee Fredrickson Coates (James Coates), Mark (Susan Grayson) and Jolene Lauer (Peggy Poirier).; nephews Joseph (Erica), Nick Lauer, Zeke (Shelby); nieces Cicely and Annie; mother-in-law Valerie Goldner brother-in-law Kent Goldner (Lori), 4 stepchildren and many other beloved relatives and friends. 

May he rest in peace.