Freda M. Bryan

Freda M. Bryan, of Wentzville, Missouri, formerly of Linn, Missouri, died on Friday, March 21, 2014 at the age of 78. Loving wife of the late Charles H. Bryan; beloved daughter of the late Sidney and Bertha Mae Branson; loving, devoted mother of Rebecca Bryan;  dear sister of JoAnn Wolfe and Reatha Siegler; cherished aunt of Jeffery, Pam, Larry, John, Korina, Lana, Gail, Sandra, Mike, Deborah, Angela, Steve and Carrie. Freda is also survived by many great nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends. She is preceded in death by her son Keith C. Bryan, her brothers James W. Branson, Charles E. Branson, Clayton C. Branson, Sidney E. Branson, and Clifford D. Branson, her sister Crystal Vaneda Branson, her infant sister Ona J. Branson, and her niece Billie Sue Rush.
Freda was taught how to embroider by her mother as a child. She grew to love and enjoy this once she was taught how to hand quilt. Over the years, she taught herself how to piece quilt, which she preferred to do later in life. Her daughter embroidered 42 antique fan quilt blocks for her mother's 63^rd birthday. Freda then put the blocks together and hand quilted it. Freda's daughter entered the antique fan quilt into the Montgomery County Fair where it placed 2^nd. She later entered it at the Osage County Fair and took 1^st place and Best of Show! Then, at the Hermann Quilt Guild Show the quilt also took 1^st place. All of these ribbons were won in 2000! Freda worked for Southwestern Bell, where she started out as a Push Board Operator in Linn, MO. She then transferred to Union, MO and then to St. Charles, MO where she retired after 30+ years of service. She was also a member of the Southwestern Bell Telephone Pioneers. She loved to camp with her family whenever they could. Most of that time was spent camping out at Lost Valley Lake Resort in Owensville where she later enjoyed going 3 weeks every month to be with her, as she called them, Lost Valley Lake Family! Freda also enjoyed travelling to Branson to catch the shows and hit Silver Dollar City, too. She became a queen in 2003 for TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly). She was then a KOPS, who Kept Off Pounds Sensibly for 7 years. Freda loved reading about the Amish and enjoyed living the country life. Freda was an avid bingo player. She played bingo on Sundays at the K of C Hall in Warrenton; on Mondays at the Elks Club in Warrenton; on Tuesdays at the American Legion Hall in Warrenton; on Fridays at the American Legion Hall in Wentzville; and on Saturdays at the Park Hall by the Catholic Church in Wentzville. She enjoyed making and painting ceramics. Also she used to be an Avon, Stanley, and Tupperware dealer. She met so many people and made life-time friendships while she went door to door. She was a no frills lady and a loving and tender-hearted woman. She was known as 'Momma Freda' to all who knew and loved her.
Memorials may be made to the wishes of the family.