Frei

Milton Frei, 78, went to his heavenly home early March 7, 2021. He passed peace fully with his wife, Isabel, by his side after going toe to toe with stomach cancer for nearly a year.

Milton was a simple man who made an extraordinary life here in Rockdale for over a half of a century.

Milton was born to Ewald and Kathleen (Jansing) Frei on April 20, 1942, in Oneaville. He grew up in Westphalia and was the oldest of 10 children.

He fell in love with his wife, Isabel, and they were married May 12, 1965, and the two of them never left each other’s side as they cried and laughed through life together.

Milton pridefully worked as a mechanic at Alcoa in Rockdale for nearly 40 years until his retirement in 2003.

In retirement, his days were then spent working on his collection of John Deere tractors and bailing hay for many in the Rockdale area. He tended to his land and home and could often be found walking his property checking on pecan trees.

His biggest pride however, was his 10 grandkids and four great-grandkids. He routinely bragged about all of them to friends and strangers alike; he could be found in the yard playing catch or chasing after each of them as they came to visit.

Milton was a soul who helped everyone. Whether it was tending to little league baseball fields, working at the KC Hall or stocking the local food pantry, he never turned away a chance to offer a lending hand. He was an old-school man who woke up everyday and did it the right way.

This can be attributed to Milton Frei being a devout Catholic who attended mass routinely in Westphalia’s Church of the Visitation as a child and young adult then Rockdale’s St. Joseph’s and Taylor’s St. Mary’s later in life. God guided him throughout his days until he joined his Savior in Heaven.

Milton is preceded in death by his parents, Ewald and Kathleen Frei, as well as brothers Glenard and Tommy Frei.

He leaves behind an extraordinary group of brothers and sisters: Kenneth Frei and wife Genie, Donnie Frei and wife Joyce, Gary Frei and wife Melissa, David Frei and wife Dorothy, Shirley Polach and husband Johnny, Bernadette Ketterman and husband Gary, Marilyn Rudloff and husband Bradley.

He loved sitting and talking for hours with these good people and eating everything and anything German.

Milton leaves behind a loving wife, Isabel, whom he was married to for nearly 56 years. His memory will continue through his children— daughter, Vicky Falconer married to Rex, son Milton “Bubba” Frei Jr. married to Laura, son Scott Frei married to Michele, and daughter April Vargas married to Tony.

And his legacy is established in his pride and joy, his grandchildren, Samantha, Sarah and Hugh Falconer, Brittany Schnerr and husband Dillan, Meagan Eiman and husband Jonathan, Joshua Frei, Makaelyn and Jett Frei, and Ava and Ellie Vargas.

Milton also loved his four great-grandchildren, Sawyer and Harper Eiman and Sutton and Otto Schnerr.

Milton Frei will return to his childhood home for a graveside service to begin 1 p.m. Thursday, March 11, at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Westphalia. Visitation will be held at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale Wednesday, March 10, from 6-8 p.m.

Some may have done it as well, but no one did it better than our brother, dad, grandfather and husband, Milton Frei. Rest in power.

Arrangements by Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home, P.O. Drawer 1417, Rockdale, TX 76567, 512-446-5454.