1918
Frederick
2010
Frederick Jaeger
June 14, 1918 — May 22, 2010
We celebrate the life of Fred Jaeger, 91 who passed away at home under hospice care Saturday, May 22, surrounded by loved ones. Fred was a lifelong resident of Wausau, loving husband to his childhood sweetheart, Esther Stubbe Jaeger, father of five children, and a well-known musician.
Fred was born on Flag Day, June 14th, 1918 to Frank and Marie (Musch) Jaeger in Wausau.
When Fred was fourteen years old, his family moved to north 4th avenue where he met the love of his life – Esther. On their first date he took her to a circus on Wausau’s Southwest side, then considered to be the outskirts of town, which later became the same spot where they built their home of 63 years.
Fred was a self-taught, lifelong musician. His first guitar was an old, busted-up discarded one that he repaired. In addition to the guitar he played many instruments including violin, banjo, organ, and harmonica. He had the natural talent of being able to hear any tune and figure out the chords, even though he never learned to read music. He had many bands throughout his years including his first band at age sixteen – “The Rambling Mountaineers.” Fred and Esther sang together as “The Singing Sweethearts” live for an hour each week on WSAU Radio in Wausau in the 1930’s and also for a radio station in Stevens Point. This ended when Fred was called to fight in WWII. “Freddie’s Trio” was his best known band entertaining at nightspots – especially at “Red’s Bar” for 15 years - in addition to area ballrooms, dances and local celebrations. He was most proud of his last band, “Freddie, Jerry and Eddie” who played on a volunteer basis weekly for local nursing homes for 14 years.
Fred served in the Army during WW II in Company I, 328th Infantry Battalion of the 26th Yankee Division. He was first assigned as a surgical assistant at Brooke General Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Never forgetting his love of music, in San Antonio he played with the Al Brite Western Orchestra. Fred later participated in the Battle of the Bulge and served as an interpreter in Germany and Austria. His favorite story is not one of war, but of the times he and other soldiers took orphaned children through the lunch line to feed them.
Fred worked at Curtis Company in Wausau as a window glazer for 25 years. He was Wausau’s City and County Health Inspector until he retired in 1980. He received the Wisconsin Sanitarian Award from Governor Martin Schreiber in 1977. He was also Chairman of the Board of the Wausau City Employees Credit Union for 33 years.
Always involved in the lives of his children, Fred served as the PTA President at G.D. Jones Elementary School and as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout Leader. Fred loved sports and was a minor league coach for youth baseball as well as a great fan for youth basketball, football, swimming, diving, ice skating, downhill skiing, and later soccer for his grandchildren. He also managed a hot dog stand at the Wisconsin Valley Fair to help his kids raise college tuition. In his younger years he was on a bowling team and loved to fish.
Fred was known for his beautiful Christmas decorations he worked passionately on each holiday season. The red and green lights so carefully placed on his red house, framed the life-size wood nativity figures he spent hours creating. He first started trimming his house in 1948 with a home-made wooden star. In 1957 and 1958, his decorated home won awards sponsored by the Wausau Daily Herald.
He loved gardening, growing vegetables and award winning Gladiolus, and became a member of the Wisconsin Gladiolus Society. He was a member of Salem Lutheran Church and served on their council.
Fred is also known as Freddie or “Fritz” by close friends. In 1970 he composed a song for his lifetime sweetheart Esther, entitled, I’ll Always Love You Dear. Esther and his whole family feel the same about this gentle and caring man. Fred is survived by his wife Esther, four sons Darrel, Lowell (Amy), Randy (Kathy Jo), and Rico (Robin) Jaeger, and one daughter Jeana (Andrew) McGivern. He has 10 grandchildren, Josh, Shoni, Beetreena, Jesseamyn, Aamon, Logan, Austin, and Isabella Jaeger, Talaye Junker, and Justin McGivern. He has five great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday May 27, 2010 at the Helke Funeral Home, Wausau. Officiating will be the Reverend Richard Russow. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday May 26th from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the funeral home and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. until the time of services at the funeral home. You may sign our family guest book at helke.com.
We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Aspirus Hospice Care especially Bernie, Amy, Linda, Melissa and Amanda, as well as TLC for Seniors, Jeanette, Linda, Beth and Rhonda for all your help and love.
Fred was born on Flag Day, June 14th, 1918 to Frank and Marie (Musch) Jaeger in Wausau.
When Fred was fourteen years old, his family moved to north 4th avenue where he met the love of his life – Esther. On their first date he took her to a circus on Wausau’s Southwest side, then considered to be the outskirts of town, which later became the same spot where they built their home of 63 years.
Fred was a self-taught, lifelong musician. His first guitar was an old, busted-up discarded one that he repaired. In addition to the guitar he played many instruments including violin, banjo, organ, and harmonica. He had the natural talent of being able to hear any tune and figure out the chords, even though he never learned to read music. He had many bands throughout his years including his first band at age sixteen – “The Rambling Mountaineers.” Fred and Esther sang together as “The Singing Sweethearts” live for an hour each week on WSAU Radio in Wausau in the 1930’s and also for a radio station in Stevens Point. This ended when Fred was called to fight in WWII. “Freddie’s Trio” was his best known band entertaining at nightspots – especially at “Red’s Bar” for 15 years - in addition to area ballrooms, dances and local celebrations. He was most proud of his last band, “Freddie, Jerry and Eddie” who played on a volunteer basis weekly for local nursing homes for 14 years.
Fred served in the Army during WW II in Company I, 328th Infantry Battalion of the 26th Yankee Division. He was first assigned as a surgical assistant at Brooke General Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Never forgetting his love of music, in San Antonio he played with the Al Brite Western Orchestra. Fred later participated in the Battle of the Bulge and served as an interpreter in Germany and Austria. His favorite story is not one of war, but of the times he and other soldiers took orphaned children through the lunch line to feed them.
Fred worked at Curtis Company in Wausau as a window glazer for 25 years. He was Wausau’s City and County Health Inspector until he retired in 1980. He received the Wisconsin Sanitarian Award from Governor Martin Schreiber in 1977. He was also Chairman of the Board of the Wausau City Employees Credit Union for 33 years.
Always involved in the lives of his children, Fred served as the PTA President at G.D. Jones Elementary School and as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout Leader. Fred loved sports and was a minor league coach for youth baseball as well as a great fan for youth basketball, football, swimming, diving, ice skating, downhill skiing, and later soccer for his grandchildren. He also managed a hot dog stand at the Wisconsin Valley Fair to help his kids raise college tuition. In his younger years he was on a bowling team and loved to fish.
Fred was known for his beautiful Christmas decorations he worked passionately on each holiday season. The red and green lights so carefully placed on his red house, framed the life-size wood nativity figures he spent hours creating. He first started trimming his house in 1948 with a home-made wooden star. In 1957 and 1958, his decorated home won awards sponsored by the Wausau Daily Herald.
He loved gardening, growing vegetables and award winning Gladiolus, and became a member of the Wisconsin Gladiolus Society. He was a member of Salem Lutheran Church and served on their council.
Fred is also known as Freddie or “Fritz” by close friends. In 1970 he composed a song for his lifetime sweetheart Esther, entitled, I’ll Always Love You Dear. Esther and his whole family feel the same about this gentle and caring man. Fred is survived by his wife Esther, four sons Darrel, Lowell (Amy), Randy (Kathy Jo), and Rico (Robin) Jaeger, and one daughter Jeana (Andrew) McGivern. He has 10 grandchildren, Josh, Shoni, Beetreena, Jesseamyn, Aamon, Logan, Austin, and Isabella Jaeger, Talaye Junker, and Justin McGivern. He has five great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday May 27, 2010 at the Helke Funeral Home, Wausau. Officiating will be the Reverend Richard Russow. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday May 26th from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the funeral home and Thursday from 10:30 a.m. until the time of services at the funeral home. You may sign our family guest book at helke.com.
We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Aspirus Hospice Care especially Bernie, Amy, Linda, Melissa and Amanda, as well as TLC for Seniors, Jeanette, Linda, Beth and Rhonda for all your help and love.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Frederick Jaeger, please visit our flower store.