Victoria Freda Krein, age 95, passed away quietly at Anberry Rehabilitation Hospital in Merced, CA on November 28, 2018. She had been living at the Park Merced Assisted Living Home in Merced for the last four years and came down with an infection. Prior to that, she was a long-time resident in Lodi. Freda was born in Fresno on July 26, 1923 to Adam and Lizzie Specht. Her parents were both German immigrants that had to flee the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. She was the first and only member of her family to be born in the US. Her parents moved to Lodi during the great Depression and her father was very adept at building homes in Lodi and successfully led the family. Freda grew up with a hard working family ethic that she carried throughout her life. She graduated from Lodi High School with the help of a wonderful young man who would help her write her English essays. So it was that during high school she met and fell in love with her future husband Melvin “Mickey” Krein. World War II interrupted marriage plans but shortly after the war end, Freda and Mickey were able to get married and had two sons, Steven and Ronald Krein. Mickey continued his service in the military for the next 24 years and achieved the rank of Sargent Major. They traveled all over the US and enjoyed a wonderful tour in Germany with lots of parties and celebrations. That tour ended early when Mickey developed cancer. They returned to US and settled in Lodi while Mickey went through treatment. Unfortunately he died in February of 1966 and is buried in Lodi. Freda went to work as one of the first female warehousemen at the Defense Supply Agency at Rough and Ready Island and had many close friends most of whom have now passed away. She retired after about a 20 year career with the government and she lived quietly at her home at 1439 W Vine St in Lodi. The family had many wonderful family dinners at her home always filled with laughter, music and television. In 2015, she moved to the Assisted Living facility at Park Merced and had friends and staff member who always spoke so kindly of her stay there.
Freda was preceded in death by her parents, an older brother Peter Specht, and two sisters Lizzie Streyle and Mollie Krein. Freda’s son Ron also preceded her in death in June of 2017. She is survived by her son Steve Krein and his wife Gloria, Ron’s wife Marilyn and her son, RW; nephews Melvin Streyle and Curtis Specht, and her niece Betty Hrovat. She had nine grandchildren who she loved dearly and is survived by eight of them – Leigh Belinger, Jennifer Tinney, Chris Krein, Erica Krein, Nick Krein, Mike Krein, Andrea Krein, and Robbie Krein. She was preceded in death by the ninth grandchild, Michael Krein. She is also survived by many great grandchildren including kids in Idaho, California and Massachusetts.
A chapel service will be held on Saturday, December 8, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. the Donahue Funeral Home in Lodi at123 N. School Street. Mark Price the minister at St Paul Lutheran Church will officiate during the service. There will not be a viewing or visitation at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Lodi Memorial Cemetery at a later date and no graveside services are planned