Grace Helen (Laska) Frederickson

Grace Helen (Laska) Frederickson, age 83, of Saginaw, Michigan, went home to meet her heavenly Father February 7, 2015, in the comfort of her home surrounded by her family.
The daughter of the late Harry and Helen (Eaton) Laska, Grace was born October 4, 1931, in Winona, Minnesota. She married Richard L. Frederickson, her loving husband of 57 years, on June 21, 1958. He survives her.
After graduating from Winona High School in 1949 (where she was voted by her peers into the prestigious Inner Circle Organization), she worked for Peerless Chain Company for nine years, even starring in an industrial commercial for Peerless demonstrating the ease of putting tire chains on an automobile. Her natural beauty and grace were easily noticed by Richard while walking down the sidewalk in downtown Winona in 1954 and, after their first time dancing at Arnies, they danced together from that day forward for the next 60 years.
After getting married in Winona, they transferred to Detroit, Michigan, and eventually on to Saginaw Township, which they called home for 55 years.
Grace was a homemaker most of her life. In her later years she became a self-employed home health care provider for the elderly. She was a member of St. Helens Catholic Church for 55 years.
Surviving besides her husband, Richard, are one son and one daughter, Greg (Elizabeth Peters) Frederickson, Saginaw, and Lisa (Brent Peterson, Saginaw, and five grandchildren, Richard, Gregory, and Joseph Frederickson and Haley and Blake Peterson.
She is also survived by four brothers and two sisters, Jim (Jean) Laska, Tom (Barb) Laska, Dick Laska, Dave (Joan) Laska, Barb Laska and Pat Laska, all of Minnesota; and also 18 nephews and nieces.
Grace was preceded in death by sisters Catherine Nesbit and Gloria Laska.
Always putting others first and taking great care of her family, she supported her children and grandchildren tirelessly both in the classroom and on the field. She was the room mother, Cub Scout leader, Brownie troop leader, March of Dimes and American Cancer Society solicitor, biggest cheerleader, always ready with a smile, a hug, encouraging words and the occasional one-liner. She was a happy, positive, loving, giving wife and mother who epitomized “grace” in her everyday life and welcomed you into her house with always fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. She will be dearly missed.
Honoring Grace’s wishes, cremation has taken place.
A Memorial Mass will take place at Christ the Good Shepherd (St. Helen) Catholic Church Saturday, February 28, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. with Father Emmet Marceau and Father Ron Wagner presiding.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the local school-based Autism Peer Mentoring program that Grace’s grandson, Blake, belongs to: K.N.O.T.S. Program (Kids Need Opportunities to Socialize). Checks can be made payable to Saginaw Township Community Schools, with “KNOTS” noted in the memo line and can be mailed to: White Pine Middle School, c/o KNOTS, 505 N. Center Road, Saginaw, Michigan 48638.
A special thank you also to SouthernCare Hospice for their amazing care and comfort they so graciously provided.