Freda Allene (Bilke) Winfrey passed at the age of 80 at her home in La Mirada, California last Monday evening June 21, 2010 of congestive heart failure.

Born in Seneca, MO., June 03, 1930 she was the daughter of Fred. L. Bilke and Beulah Irene (Baker) Bilke, one of six siblings; Bill Edmund Bilke; Edith Colleen (Bilke) Simone; Faye Louise (Bilke) Mishler; Chester Ray Bilke; Gary Lee Bilke.

Freda was a graduate of Riverton High School, Riverton Kansas in 1948. She was a member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha sorority and employed at the Spencer Chemical Company when she married her high school sweetheart, Private Clyde Leroy Winfrey in the Riverton Friends Church, June 1, 1951. As a new bride she put her career on hold and embraced the life of an army wife, and found herself outside Kansas for the first time in her life. In July 1952 her new family grew when she gave birth to her first son in Missouri. It was 1953 when they moved to join family already established in California, and to look for new opportunities. The family grew once again when in 1955 she gave birth to twins.

Freda took on the role of Mother with a zest and was fully engaged in the kid’s school activities. She put her artistic talents to work as she organized and created many of her children’s Cub Scouts, Brownies, baseball, dance recitals, bands, and schools fairs and fundraisers.

After the kids had grown Freda when back to school in the early 1970’s at Cerritos College, where she was first hired on a part-time basis in 1975 and was soon hired full-time in 1976 and retired as a Schedule Clerk in the Academic Affairs Office June 30, 2003. One of her proudest memories was being recognized as Employee of the Year, and having her name displayed on the college marquis.

Her sport of choice was bowling, which she was very good at. Her team won multiple California state championships and was the recipient of many awards and trophies. She was a talented seamstress, carpenter, loved to garden, watch basketball, golf, and classic movies.

Freda is survived by her husband Clyde Leroy Winfrey; sons Clyde Bruce Winfrey and Michael A Winfrey, and daughter Michelle B (Winfrey) King; six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on June 29th, 2010 at Loma Vista Memorial Park Mausoleum in Fullerton, CA. The graveside memorial will be at Riverside National Cemetery June 30th, 2010. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to The Humane Society.

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