Mary "Prue" Frederickson
March 13, 1925 — November 26, 2023
Mary Prudentia Frederickson
Prue was born March 13, 1925, at Child Savings Institute in Omaha, Nebraska and was adopted at 3 weeks old by Hazel and Cline Tinsley. When Prue was 10, her mother, Hazel, passed away and a few years later her father married Louise Cook, who raised and loved Prue as her own daughter.
Prue grew up on Baldwin Street in Harlan, Iowa, and attended high school at Harlan High where she met the love of her life, Dean "Dusty" Frederickson. Prue started early in life being a "Queen" by being crowned homecoming queen her senior year.
After high school, Prue attended Monticello College in Alton, Illinois where she pursued a teaching degree and Dean joined the Army. After 2 years, Prue returned to Harlan to work for her father at Tinsley Jewelry Store while Dean was still in the service.
After Dean was discharged from the service the two were married June 4, 1947, in Harlan. They moved to Iowa City where Dean attended the University of Iowa and Prue worked at Hands Jewelry. After Dean graduated, they moved back to Harlan where Dean worked for A.V. Parker Insurance and Prue returned to Tinsley Jewelry. The couple lived with Prue's parents while they built their new house on Baldwin Street and that is where they raised their 4 girls.
Prue lived in her house on Baldwin Street until she moved to her forever home that she and Dean built at Country Club View in 1990.
Prue had a passion for cooking, and you could always find Prue in the kitchen cooking for family, friends, and community or church events. Prue enjoyed a spirit of giving and volunteered for many organizations such as the Girl Scouts, hospital auxiliary, church, PEO, Iowa Mother's Association, Meals on Wheels, and Relay for Life. She was very active at the Congregational Church and was always the first to volunteer for making noodles, working funerals, bazaars, dinners, and many other things. The word no was never in Prue's vocabulary.
Prue lived life to the fullest and enjoyed camping in Wyoming, spending the summers at Lake Okoboji, winters in Maui, flying with Dean in his airplane, and tailgating at the Iowa Hawkeye football games. She loved to send cards to friends, loved ones, and especially "boyfriends" for all occasions, seasons, and from her travels. The answers to all of Prue's problems were solved with a cup of tea and a chocolate chip cookie.
In her later years, Prue was known as "Honeybun" the clown and she entertained at birthday parties, town parades, and visited the hospital and nursing home.
Prue was a good friend to everyone and was kind to each person she met. She never knew a stranger and always had a smile on her face. Everyone knew Prue around town for her decorations on her car for all seasons - the Grinch was always her passenger at Christmas time. Prue loved a good party and most of all spending time with her family and loved ones.
Prue passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, November 26, 2023, attaining the age of 98 years, 8 months, and 12 days. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hazel, Cline, and LouiseTinsley and her husband Dean Frederickson.
She is survived by her daughters, Mirandi (Terry) Galbraith of Celina, TX, Sandra Leuschen of Harlan, IA, Kerri (Jeff) Christensen of Schuyler, NE, Staci (David) Byrd of Denton, TX; 7 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
Prue was born March 13, 1925, at Child Savings Institute in Omaha, Nebraska and was adopted at 3 weeks old by Hazel and Cline Tinsley. When Prue was 10, her mother, Hazel, passed away and a few years later her father married Louise Cook, who raised and loved Prue as her own daughter.
Prue grew up on Baldwin Street in Harlan, Iowa, and attended high school at Harlan High where she met the love of her life, Dean "Dusty" Frederickson. Prue started early in life being a "Queen" by being crowned homecoming queen her senior year.
After high school, Prue attended Monticello College in Alton, Illinois where she pursued a teaching degree and Dean joined the Army. After 2 years, Prue returned to Harlan to work for her father at Tinsley Jewelry Store while Dean was still in the service.
After Dean was discharged from the service the two were married June 4, 1947, in Harlan. They moved to Iowa City where Dean attended the University of Iowa and Prue worked at Hands Jewelry. After Dean graduated, they moved back to Harlan where Dean worked for A.V. Parker Insurance and Prue returned to Tinsley Jewelry. The couple lived with Prue's parents while they built their new house on Baldwin Street and that is where they raised their 4 girls.
Prue lived in her house on Baldwin Street until she moved to her forever home that she and Dean built at Country Club View in 1990.
Prue had a passion for cooking, and you could always find Prue in the kitchen cooking for family, friends, and community or church events. Prue enjoyed a spirit of giving and volunteered for many organizations such as the Girl Scouts, hospital auxiliary, church, PEO, Iowa Mother's Association, Meals on Wheels, and Relay for Life. She was very active at the Congregational Church and was always the first to volunteer for making noodles, working funerals, bazaars, dinners, and many other things. The word no was never in Prue's vocabulary.
Prue lived life to the fullest and enjoyed camping in Wyoming, spending the summers at Lake Okoboji, winters in Maui, flying with Dean in his airplane, and tailgating at the Iowa Hawkeye football games. She loved to send cards to friends, loved ones, and especially "boyfriends" for all occasions, seasons, and from her travels. The answers to all of Prue's problems were solved with a cup of tea and a chocolate chip cookie.
In her later years, Prue was known as "Honeybun" the clown and she entertained at birthday parties, town parades, and visited the hospital and nursing home.
Prue was a good friend to everyone and was kind to each person she met. She never knew a stranger and always had a smile on her face. Everyone knew Prue around town for her decorations on her car for all seasons - the Grinch was always her passenger at Christmas time. Prue loved a good party and most of all spending time with her family and loved ones.
Prue passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, November 26, 2023, attaining the age of 98 years, 8 months, and 12 days. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hazel, Cline, and LouiseTinsley and her husband Dean Frederickson.
She is survived by her daughters, Mirandi (Terry) Galbraith of Celina, TX, Sandra Leuschen of Harlan, IA, Kerri (Jeff) Christensen of Schuyler, NE, Staci (David) Byrd of Denton, TX; 7 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; other relatives and many friends.
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