Freeman, Garland honored

Freeman is Brown County

Outstanding Senior Citizen

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A pair of Springfield women, Norma Freeman and Lucille Garland, were honored Thursday at the Senior Citizens Day at the Brown County Fair.

Norma (Kopischke) (Vogel) Freeman 84, was named 2004 Brown County Outstanding Senior Citizen.

Lucille Clementine (Frechette) Garland, 90, who was not able to attend to program, was given the 2004 Senior Citizen Distinguished Service Award.

Freeman was cited for her "cheerful" volunteer work in the Springfield area. She assists with Senior Citizens activities and is active in the Legion Auxiliary, church and school. She also meets the needs of family, friends, neighbors and others.

She often serves as a hostess for potluck suppers, birthday dinners and weekly evening meals.

Freeman is particularly known for her cooking talents for people in times of disaster, sickness, sorrow or other needs. She sells poppies for the Legion and bakes for fund-raisers.

Norma helps with quilting for Lutheran World Relief at St. Paul's Lutheran Church and worked with arts and crafts in Vacation Bible School for more than 20 years. She has finished more than 50 quilts that residents of St. John Lutheran Home began.

Freeman reaches out to others in the North Star Homemaker Extension Club and drives seniors to appointments, shopping and other activities.

She was born on a farm near Morgan. The family moved to a farm near Springfield when she was nine.

Norma attended country schools through the eighth grade before going to work on the farm during the Depression.

She married Arnold Voge in 1941. They raised three children on a farm west of Springfield. He died from heart surgery complications in 1959.

With help from her children, neighbors and friends, she continued to farm and worked for more than 20 years as a homemaker at Springfield Hospital.

She married George Freeman in 1981. He and her only daughter Janice, died in 1999.

Lucille Garland

She made and donated more than 100 quilts over the past 25 years. She drove seniors to shopping and church and ran errands for them until her vision declined.

Garland helps young children by providing scholarships at St. Raphael's School and donates items for school fund-raisers. She is active at St. John Lutheran Home, helping in a variety of ways.

She was instrumental in getting a new flag at the library. She has contributed to the swimming pool, community center and church programs.