Frieda Louise Marceau

Frieda Louise Marceau, 100, of Benton Harbor passed away Sunday, July 20, 2014, at Orchard Grove Extended Care in Benton Harbor.   A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:30 am on Thursday, July 24, 2014, at Starks & Menchinger Chapel and Cremation Services, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph, with Chaplin Scott Brown officiating. Burial will follow in Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor. Friends may visit from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association. Those wishing to share a memory of Frieda online may do so at www. starks-menchinger.com.   Frieda was born on December 6, 1913, in Germany to Carl & Louise Ost. The family immigrated from Germany to the U.S. on a ship called the S.S. Cleveland on a several week trip. On this trip Frieda celebrated a birthday. Frieda’s family were some of the original “Sand-Rabbits” who settled on Silver Beach. The family was sponsored by Albert Bittner. Frieda attended St. Joseph High School. She married Harry C. Marceau in Benton Harbor. Frieda was a homemaker and housewife up until her last daughter entered 11th grade. Then she went to work at the Dorothy Shop in St. Joseph as a seamstress. From there she went to work for the Berrien County Sheriff Department and then on to Social Services where she retired. Frieda’s hobbies were gardening, sewing, knitting and crocheting. Frieda had the bug and love for the game of golf.   Frieda is survived by a son, Harry Marceau, Jr.; daughter, Barbara Sweet; twelve grandchildren: Brian Marceau, Brooke Ann Marceau, Rick Davis, Christopher Sweet, Candy Sweet, John Sweet, Keith Sweet, Todd Sweet, Ted Sweet, Suzanne Galarde, Stephen Bird, and David Bird; seven great-grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren; nieces Betty Kesterke and Mary Barra; and nephew Thomas Ost.   Frieda was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Louise Ost; daughter Annette Bird in 1976; ex-husband Harry Marceau, Sr. in 1996; and siblings, Walter Ost, Gerda Kesterke, Gertrude “Trudy” Childs, and Louise Undem.