Jane H. Freund

FREUND, Jane H.
Kalamazoo Jane H. Freund was born March 6, 1942 to the late James A. and Irene C. Hardin in Indianapolis, IN. As a young girl, she participated in Brownies and Girl Scouts continuing through her senior year in high school. She graduated from Speedway High School in 1960 and was looking forward to her 50th reunion in 2010. She and her best friend from school days, Mary Margaret Emigholz, were cheerleaders together all through school and still enjoyed a very close friendship. She had many friends and memories from that time. She attended Butler University and was then united in marriage to Michael Werner. He passed away in 1976 while they lived in Danville, VA. She and her two sons, Scott and Tony, moved back to Indianapolis, IN so her boys would have a family influence with her parents and brothers. It was several years later she met and married Frederick Fritz Freund. Their next move was to Champaign, IL, where Fritz was the Council Executive for the Boy Scouts of America. Next was Kalamazoo, MI, which was a bigger council. In moving there, they actually thought they would remain about four or five years and move on. However, they fell in love with the town, people and area. When Fritz became the Executive Director of the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, they decided Kalamazoo was where they wanted to stay. She now has seven grandchildren, the lights of her life. Instead of a professional career, she decided as a young adult that being a Mom was what she was meant to be. It was a decision that was never changed or regretted. In recent years, she has been very active in P.E.O., Chapter BN, serving as its President for two years. This is a woman's group that helps other women, especially through education. While raising her boys, she was a soccer coach, PTA President, Portage Central Football Booster officer, Newcomers President and a member of the Kalamazoo Jr. Woman's Club. She and Fritz had bought a condo in Florida, which had been a real joy to her. She had many, many very close friends there. Before getting cancer, she had hoped to spend much more time there. She was preceded in death by her husband, Fritz in June of 2007. Surviving are her son, Scott and his wife, Lori, their children, Meagan 19, Emily 16, Anna 9, Makenzie 5 and Minnie 5 grand dog, from Portage; son, Tony wife, Kelly, deceased in 2007 and his children, Alexis 12, Garret 10, and Leanna 8 from Wadsworth, OH; Jerry & Patricia Freund, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Newburgh, IN; Judy & Jerry Munk, Zionsville, IN. These were brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law to her and her dear friends of over 20 years, John and Susan Payne. This year, Jane also had the opportunity to get to know and love Dana Holmes, Tony's very dear friend, and her daughter, Leah. Before Fritz passed away, they loved to travel to Mexico and attend plays and concerts in Kalamazoo. Jane will be missed by many. The theme running through many of the cards and letters sent to her was her "smile, laugh and upbeat manner". She had a very positive attitude during her journey trying to beat cancer. The family will receive friends at the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Westside Chapel, 3926 S. 9th Street on Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 PM. Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 11:00 AM in the Oakland Drive Christian Church, 7331 Oakland Dr. with Pastor Michael O'Berski officiating. Following the service in Kalamazoo, Jane will be taken to the Flanner-Buchanan Funeral Home, Speedway Chapel, 2950 N. High St. for a visitation on Saturday morning from 10:00AM until 12:00 Noon. Following the visitation, interment will take place in Lincoln Memory Gardens, Zionsville, IN. She will rest between her two husbands, the natural and adoptive fathers of her sons and next to her parents and two brothers. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the West Michigan Cancer Center, 200 N. Park, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, Oakland Drive Christian Church, 7331 Oakland Drive, Portage, MI 49024 or P.E.O., Chapter BN, Continuing Education, C/O Nancy Karel, 7515 Thrasher Lane, Kalamazoo, MI 49009. Please visit www.langelands.com for online obituary, directions, register book and condolences. 343-1508