William Fried

Funeral Service for William ?Bill? Fried, 100, of Baker, MT will be 10:30 a. m. on Saturday, March 17, 2012 at the Baker Assembly of God Church in Baker, MT. Interment will follow in the Community Union Cemetery at Plevna, MT. Visitation will be 3:00 p. m. to 8:00 p. m. on Friday, March 16th, with the family receiving friends from 5:00 p. m. to 7:00 p. m. at Stevenson Funeral Home in Baker. William ?Bill? Fried, 100, passed away Sunday morning, March 11, 2012 at the Friendship Villa Care Center in Miles City, MT. Bill was born December 23, 1911, the son of immigrants, George and Wilhelmina Fried. Bill?s mother was pregnant with him during their voyage across the ocean from Russia and he was born at a family member?s farm near the North Dakota/South Dakota border during the journey across the United States. Bill grew up on the family homestead south of Plevna, near Medicine Rocks State Park, with his two brothers and three sisters. He went to the country school located near the family homestead until he graduated from the eighth grade. On October 23, 1936, Bill was united in marriage to Matilda Klos of Plevna, MT. To this union were born only two children, Roger and Verla. That small family has extended today to one granddaughter, three great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren, all of whom truly enjoyed spending time with ?grandpa?. The majority of Bill?s life focused on farming and ranching, although he definitely favored farming over ranching. In April of 2004, Bill met with a farm accident that forced his ?early retirement? at the age of 92. The accident necessitated a long stay at Holy Rosary Hospital in Miles City and nine months later he was sufficiently recovered to enter assisted living at Friendship Villa Care Center where he resided until the time of his death. Living such a long time meant lots of happy memories. There were family trips to places like Washington state, where Bill went deep sea fishing; Hawaii, where he enjoyed the local culture (including the hula girls); and Yellowstone National Park, where he spent quality time with his great- grandchildren. With one hundred birthdays and one hundred Christmases, and not that many less harvest times, there were always plenty of opportunities for Bill to get together with family members and celebrate. Bill?s interest in politics and the daily stock market kept his brain sharp. As the oldest registered voter in Fallon County, and a dyed-in-the-wool democrat, Bill enjoyed debating politics with anyone that was willing. Bill is survived by his sisters, Ella Hale of Loveland, Colorado and Tillie Wenz of Salem, Oregon; his granddaughter and her husband, Carla and Jerry Brown of Baker; three great-grandchildren and their families, Larry and Crystal Brown, Lilyan, Zoe, and Lincoln of Salem, Oregon; Katie and Anthony Hanson and Michael of Baker; and Elizabeth Brown, who is currently attending college in Salem, Oregon; as well as many nieces and nephews scattered across the country. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, George and Wilhelmina Fried; two brothers, Gottlieb and Emil; one sister, Lillian; and two children, Roger and Verla.


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Burial Date: March 17, 2012
Funeral Home Baker, MT

Funeral Service: Saturday, Baker Assembly of God Church, Baker, MT