Ernie Fredrick

Ernie Roy Fredrick was born on November 16, 1936 in the kitchen on the family farm northeast of Medford to Charles Edward Fredrick and Zelma Edith (Wooderson) Fredrick and passed from this life on January 18, 2021 at his home in rural Medford with his family present.

Ernie was raised on the homestead staked out in the Land Run of 1893 by his grandfather, Ernest Robert Fredrick, seven miles east and two north of Medford. His parents took over the home and then passed the home onto Ernie and his growing family in 1957, where he and his wife, Marilyn, raised six children. The home is listed in the Oklahoma Centennial Farm and Ranch Program established by the Oklahoma Historical Society and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture to recognize those families who have continuously occupied their land and carried out farming or ranching operations for at least 100 years.

Ernie attended Deer Creek School, where he played football and baseball for the Deer Creek Broncos.  He was class president of his junior class, graduating in 1954.  He immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge-CVA 33 as a machinist’s mate, MML3.

Ernie married Marilyn Fauchier of Nardin on December 29, 1954 at the Church of Christ in Blackwell.  To this union six children were born: Cary, Craig, Shari, twins, Debbie and Daron, and Brad.

Ernie was a member of VFW, The American Legion, and NRA.  He was a member of the Church of Christ in Deer Creek in early years and later attended the Church of Christ in Blackwell.

Ernie was farmer and rancher after his service in the U.S. Navy and retired from farming in 2006.

He is preceded in death by his father, Charles Fredrick in 1985; his mother, Zelma Fredrick in 1991; his sister, Letha Rae Reese in 2002, and sister, Retha Mae in 2013.

Ernie is survived by his wife, Marilyn; son, Cary Fredrick and his wife, Beth of Bartlesville; son, Craig Fredrick and his wife, Shelley of Medford; daughter, Shari England and her husband, Chuck of Medford; daughter, Debbie Sprague of Edmond; son, Daron Fredrick of Deer Creek, and son, Brad Fredrick of Lamont; grandchildren, Eric Fredrick, Dan Fredrick, Megan Roberts, Cory England, Cole England, Kaci Baldwin, Devin Sprague, Alison Fredrick, Shane Fredrick, Rachel Fredrick, Kelsey Waggoner, Amber Richards, and Tara Harkins, and twenty-two great grandchildren.

Ernie was born, lived and died on the same farm.

Graveside service for Ernie will be Friday, January 22, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at Mt. Olive Cemetery near Nardin.  Viewing will be Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the funeral home.  Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. of Medford.  www.lanmanmemorials.com Facebook: Lanman Funeral Home, Inc.

Memorials may be given to Medford Ambulance Service or Deer Creek-Lamont FFA through the funeral home.