Granddaughter shares tribute to Augusta Freiboth

Vox Pop

A Tribute to Augusta Freiboth.

On Friday, March 12, we laid to rest my grandmother, Augusta Freiboth. We were joined by family, friends, and community members as we celebrated a long life well-lived. Widowed in her 30s, Grandma made impossible decisions to preserve and support her family. She sold the family farm, sent her two daughters to a private boarding school, and returned to college to complete her teaching degree.

Augusta guided classrooms in the Medford area for over 35 years - teaching children, then their children, and their children’s children. In addition to teaching, she involved herself in her church and her community. While Augusta taught and volunteered, she cared for her aging mother, who lived under her care for years. She taught Sunday School, provided baked goods, sewed lap blankets, created holiday décor, and tutored children. Of course, she was not flawless. I heard stories of her strictness, and her assertive approach to a “to-do” list could be intimidating. Perhaps there was some good in these traits. If you sit a little straighter, have neater handwriting, or can hold your attention a little longer, you may have had my grandmother as a teacher.

If you enjoyed delicately-crusted apple bars, discovered a hand-quilted blanket on your loved one in a nursing home, or found patriotic inspiration in a Memorial Day speech, you may have crossed paths with my grandmother. If you were handed a scholarship at a graduation ceremony, found a flag on your veteran’s grave, or attended Badger State girls, you have witnessed the heartbeat of my grandmother. Thank you to the many who sent condolences and shared stories of Augusta’s intersection with your lives. Rest in peace, Augusta. — Jessa Nelson, New Richmond