Frieda Grenz Information

Frieda and Garry - Back


Frieda	Garry

Farm Accident Claims Life of Mrs. Garry O'Callagahan *

Mrs Garry (Freida) O'Calaghan, 60, of rural Hazelton died Monday afternoon, the victim of an accident which occurred on the O'Callaghan farm yard.

Mrs. O'Callaghan was alone on the farmstead, her husband having left the yard about 2:30 p.m. She was working on a grain-cleaning chore, which involved augering wheat from a gravity box mounted on a four wheel trailer type chassis.

Discovery of the accident was about 4 p.m. when Burdette Johnson of Kintyre, knocked on the O'Callaghan home's door and got no answer. She then looked for someone on the yard in the vicinity of the auger motor, which was still running. She found Mrs. O'Callaghan's body under the trailer.

The trailer had apparently moved down a slope, even though it had previously been blocked in position by wheel chocks. It's course had evidently taken it over Mrs. O'Callaghan's body. The gravity box still had more than 150 bushel of wheat in it.

Among survivors of Mrs. O'Callaghan are her husband, Garry, children, mother, Mrs. Lydia Grenz Linton, brothers Herbert of Lavona Station and Leo of Braddock, sisters Mrs. Ronald Duncan of Texas, Mrs. Eugene Schatz. Mrs. Ray Dennis and Mrs. Rose Fuller all of California.

Mrs. O'Callaghan was recently elected to serve as District vice President of the North Dakota American Legion Auxiliary's District 5, to fill an unexpired term of Louise Shepherd of Wilton.

Boelter Funeral Home of Bismarck is in charge of funeral arrangements. Such arrangements had not been made as of Tuesday afternoon. A complete obituary will be published next week.

Emmons County Record, Apr. 16, 1980 Copied "as is" by skgrenz

A Short History

The oldest of ten children, Frieda was born on the farm in the Horsehead Valley area. She attended a one-room grade school in the Gayton district and graduated from Linton High School. She was active in the Farmer's Union Youth Group as a delegate to State and All-State camps and was a torchbearer. After attending college in Bismarck, she was employed by the State Health Department.

Garry attended Buchanan Consolidated School, Hazelton High and Wahpeto State School of Science, Aeronautical Division. He entered the service in the fall of 1941 and served overseas for a period of 48 months; his last assignment was in Okinawa. After discharge at Fort Lewis, WA, in 1945, he returned to Hazelton, ND to take up ranching and farming.

While Garry was in service during WWII, Frieda worked at Lockheed Aircraft and was a volunteer plane spotter for the Fourth Fighter Command. She also served in the WAC:s for 2-1/2 years and served overseas, in addition to helping evacuate the Japanese from the west coast at the outbreak of the war. She also was a plane spotter with the Air Service Defense Command and received the Distinguished Achievement Award in 1954.

Frieda was very active in church and fraternal organizations. She was killed in a tractor accident on the farm on April 14, 1980 and is interred at Sunset memorial Gardens in Bismarck, ND.

From Schiermeister Family History Book

Garry O'Callaghan Jr.

FARGO — Garry O’Callaghan Jr., 92, died Feb. 22, 2011, with his loving wife and family by his side at Edgewood Vista Retirement Home, Fargo. Services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25, at Eastgate Funeral Service, 2302 E. Divide Ave., Bismarck. Interment will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.

Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck.

Garry was born Sept. 6, 1918, at the family ranch in Buchanan Valley Township in Emmons County (Hazelton). Garry, the eldest son of Garret and Eliza (Clark) O’Callaghan, and his brother, James, felt privileged to grow up in the “beautiful wide open spaces of North Dakota.” He was raised on their “pioneer farm” as his father and grandfathers were original homesteaders.

On July 27, 1941, Garry married Frieda Pauline Grenz and they raised two sons, Allen and Larry, on the family ranch northwest of Hazelton, where they farmed from 1945 to 1984. Garry was an active member of the American Legion, VFW, Masonic Lodge and Elks; president and member of the Hazelton School Board; and a member of the Hazelton Presbyterian Church. He was one of the first farmers to introduce irrigation to the Emmons County area, and was a founding member of the Missouri Slope Irrigation Development Association. Frieda died from a farm machinery accident in 1980. They were truly farming partners as she provided a great amount of help with Garry.

Through mutual friends, Garry met Mabel (Nordine) Hedstrom and on Feb. 4, 1984, they married. They enjoyed traveling and spent many winters together in New Mexico and Arizona. When residing in Bismarck, Garry and Mabel welcomed family and friends into their home and enjoyed gardening together. In their early years, dancing was an enjoyment they shared. He was also engaged in many wood working projects: building tables, wall hangings, clocks and numerous other items. In 2007, they moved to Fargo to be nearer to family. Both Garry and Mabel enjoyed watching the “weather channel” and were always conversing on a day-to-day basis about what they were hearing in the news. In Garry’s last hours, Mabel was the devoted and loving caregiver that she was in their 27 years of marriage.

In Garry’s later years, he became computer savvy and spent many hours at his desk documenting his life stories with words and pictures. In 1996, he published his memoirs, “A Pioneer’s Son — A Country Boy’s Life.” As a proud veteran, Garry left poignant memoirs in his publication, “Memoirs of Garry O’Callaghan: My 1,462 Days in World War II.” Both were written with love and are wonderful gifts to his family! Garry hated war but was very proud to have served his country. He loved his family and will be missed by all that knew him.

Garry’s military service was from Sept. 24, 1941 to Oct. 12, 1945 with rank of private first class, tech/5, corporal. He served in World War II, Army, Japanese Southeast Asia Theater, Artillery, Forward Observer, Okinawa, 97 days combat. He received Service Awards for Good conduct medal, expert shooter, Asiatic Pacific medals with star, seven gold overseas bars, with 116 combat days.

Garry is survived by his wife of 27 years, Mabel (Nordine/Hedstrom) O’Callaghan, Fargo; two sons, Allen (Elaine), Omaha, Neb., and Larry (Marilyn), Fargo; brother, James O’Callaghan, Des Moines, Iowa; grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Tara (Chad) Kalal and Harper and Luca, St. Petersburg, Fla., Brennon (Shelly) O’Callaghan and Elizabeth and Devon Garry, Maple Grove, Minn., and Ryan (Casey) O’Callaghan and Caelan, Starlyn (Joshua) Green and Adella, and Keenan O’Callaghan, all of Bozeman, Mont. Garry is also survived by step-grandchildren/great-grandchildren (Nelson), Heidi (Vince) Williams and Brooklyn, Fargo, Joshua (Jill) Nelson and Chloe, Talia, Brayden and Aubree, Fergus Falls, Minn., and Cody (Michelle) Nelson and Camry and Carter, Casselton; and many very special nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Garry and Eliza (Clark) O’Callaghan Sr.; and first wife, Frieda Pauline (Grenz) O’Callaghan, who passed away in 1980.