Jeanne M. Fredrickson
Died September 11, 2011
TRAVERSE CITY - Jeanne M. Fredrickson, 96, of Traverse City, died Sunday, Sept. 11 at Munson Medical Center.  Jeanne was born March 28, 1915 in Northport, the daughter of Robert E. Mervau and Marguerite (Hunter) Mervau.
On October 14, 1938 Jeanne married fellow Northport native Orin M. Fredrickson.  The wedding ceremony took place at the Mervau home in Northport.  They celebrated 56 years of marriage prior to Orin’s death in 1995. 
Jeanne graduated from Northport High School in 1932. She represented Northport during the 1934 National Cherry Festival and was first runner-up to the 1934 National Cherry Queen. Jeanne studied at the County Normal School in Northport and went on to study at Lansing Business University in 1937-1938. Jeanne began her working life in the family drug store in Northport and went on to work in gift shops and stores from Glen Arbor to Detroit. Orin and Jeanne lived in Bay City during the Second World War where Orin used his skills to build boats for the war effort and Jeanne assembled horns for Jeeps as well as other piece work at the Auto-Lite Factory. 
Orin and Jeanne returned to Northport and followed Orin’s father into the construction business and Orin also assumed the position of superintendent at Northport Point. Jeanne’s lessons learned at Lansing Business University served her well as bookkeeper for the family building business. Orin and Jeanne resided on Northport Point and also built their treasured home on North Shore Drive in Northport. They enjoyed many wonderful years at their North Shore Drive home. In 1994 they moved to Traverse Hills Retirement Community in Traverse City. 
The Frederickson’s were active members of the Northport community. Jeanne was an officer in the Eastern Star of Northport, a Cub Scout den mother, and she and Orin were members of Trinity United Church of Christ. She and Orin had many friends in Northport, and made many new friends at Traverse Hills. They enjoyed hosting their friends, as well as Charlie’s high school friends, at their North Shore Drive home. She particularly enjoyed their “firecracker” friends as well as those who served with Orin on the Northport and Northport Point Fire Departments. Orin and Jeanne loved to travel and spent winters in Chandler, Arizona; Mesa, Arizona; and Perdido Key, Florida. They enjoyed playing golf everywhere they went. Jeanne was an avid sports fan and particularly enjoyed watching any team that represented Michigan State University.
Above all Jeanne loved to laugh, especially when reminiscing with her sister and brothers. 
Jeanne is survived by son Charles (Karen) Fredrickson of Suttons Bay. She is also survived by brothers Robert, of Portland, MI; Charles (Maria), of Walker, MI; and Richard (Barbara), of Bakersfield, CA; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews.
Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents; sister Dorothy and brother-in-law Harry Smith; brother Wayne and sister-in-law Alice Mervau; sister-in-law Maxine Mervau; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Theodore and Grace Fredrickson; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Theodore and Gladys Hanson.
The funeral service for Jeanne Fredrickson will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 24, at Trinity Church of the United Church of Christ in Northport, with visitation held at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will take place at Leelanau Township Cemetery in Northport. The Rev. Karen Schulte will officiate.
Memorial donations may be sent to Trinity Church of the United Church of Christ, PO Box 156, Northport, MI, 49670; Leelanau Township Community Foundation, PO Box 818, Northport, MI, 49670 and/or Leelanau Conservancy, PO Box 1007, Leland, MI, 49654.
Please share thoughts and memories with Jeanne’s family on their online guestbook at www.record-eagle.com/obituaries/
The family is being served by Martinson Funeral Home of Suttons Bay.