Ell Fredin

Ell C. Fredin, 93 of Gilmore City, passed away on Wednesday morning, June 14, 2023. His Funeral and Celebration of Life Service will be 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 20^th at First Lutheran Church in Gilmore City. Visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Monday, June 19^th at the Mason-Lindhart Funeral & Cremation Service in Humboldt. Burial will be in Marble Valley Cemetery, Gilmore City.

Ell is survived by his two sons and one daughter, Tom (Diane) of Adel, Tary of Amana and Tonya (Larry) Bern of Amana, his grandchildren Chad Fredin, Ryan (Judy) Fredin, Mandy (Todd) Oleson, Kearstin (David) Scarbrough, Jesse Bern, Joshua (Christa) Bern and Amanda Fennern, fourteen great- grandchildren, and special friends. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 64 years, Gladyce, who passed away in 2012, his son Tim, who passed away in 2008, granddaughter Kellie Fredin in 2019 and his parents, Swan and Dagmar Fredin, seven brothers and one sister.

Ell C. Fredin was born June 12, 1930 at Greenville, Iowa. He graduated from Greenville-Rossie High School in 1948. He married his high school sweetheart, Gladyce L. Toft on December 26, 1948 at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Royal, Iowa.  He attended Iowa State College (now Iowa State University) and graduated in 1952. For several years, Ell taught and coached boys and girls basketball, the most recent at Truesdale, Iowa. He left coaching in 1958 and began work towards his Master’s Degree in Secondary School Administration at Drake University and graduated with a Master’s Degree in 1963. He became High School Principal at Gilmore City – Bradgate in 1963, and held that position for 28 years until retirement in 1991. He spent 39 years in education and felt honored to be a part of the educational progress of many students.

Ell loved working with young people and after coaching, he began officiating Girls & Boys Basketball in 1959. Over 28 years he officiated 1400 games and served as an official at both the Girls & Boys State Basketball Tournaments. In 1991, he received the IHSAA Basketball Hall of Fame Award and also the School Administrator’s Award at the Boys State Basketball Tournament. He also received a plaque from the Iowa House of Representatives as a certificate of recognition for working with the young people of our state. However, his greatest thrill was when he was given a huge sendoff to receive the awards in Des Moines from his K-12 student body at Gilmore City – Bradgate. Working with young people is what his life was about.

Ell was one of the founders of the Gilmore City – Bradgate Scholarship & Loan Foundation in 1965, and he took great pride in knowing that his efforts helped to provide low interest loans to many Gilmore City – Bradgate students to continue their education after graduating from high school.

Ell felt a closeness to his church where he served on the church council and was an usher for many years. He cherished his family deeply and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren were very special to him. In addition, he was an avid Cyclone fan who loved his Clones.

Memorials may be given to The Paula Babar Hospice Home in Fort Dodge in memory of Gladyce Fredin, or the American Heart Association in memory of Tim Fredin. In ending, Ell is looking forward to an eternal life with Gladyce & Tim and above all, to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.