Freda Engelhart, age 84, of Clinton Missouri, passed away peacefully, Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024 at her home.
Freda Areline (Cornell) Engelhart was born on January 26, 1940 in Bolivar, Missouri. The daughter of Fred Raymond Cornell and Hazel Alice (Fahnestock) Cornell. Freda attended school in Clinton, MO and graduated in May 1957.
On September 21, 1958, Freda was united in marriage to Norman Joseph Engelhart, who preceded her in death on December 30, 2010 after 52 years of marriage. To this union two children were born: Bruce W. and Mark A. Engelhart all from Clinton, MO.
Freda was baptized at an early age at the Butler, MO Baptist Church. She was an active member of the Christion Church (DOC), Clinton, MO, where she served as board member, church clerk, several committees and belonged to the Phoebes Women Church Group.
Freda worked as Deputy City Clerk, bookkeeper and payroll clerk for twenty years for the City of Clinton, serving five different mayors, before moving to Moberly and Macon, MO area because of her husband’s work for Associated Electric Mining Company.
In Moberly she worked at the Moberly Area Junior College in the registration and records department. Later they moved to Macon, MO where Freda worked for District 2 Missouri Department of Transportation in the accounting and credit union departments until the mine closed. She transferred to District 4 Missouri Department of Transportation in Kansas City, MO. She worked in the accounting department and back up for the District 4 Credit Union. The last 5 years she was one of the first customer service representatives for MODOT for the State of Missouri.
Because of her husband’s health she retired September 1, 2000 and moved back to Clinton, MO to be near her family and friends.
She loved being around her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and close friends. She belonged to three bridge clubs until Covid hit the community. She currently belonged to long time canasta club, bunco, Wednesday pitch at the Senior Center, Lorna Kemper Club, and a member of the Henry County Historical Society and volunteered as a docent. She enjoyed traveling with her friends and the Hawthorn Elite travel club.
Her parents, husband, and two sisters, Marie Wilson and Joann Good preceded her in death.
Surviving are her two sons, Bruce (Nancy), and Mark (Tara), all of Clinton, MO. Freda had six grandchildren, Andrew (fiancé, Anna Edmonson), Eric (Stephanie), Kyle all of Clinton, MO. Aaron (Amber) of Lee’s Summit, MO, Tyler (Maegan) of Altoona, Iowa, and Jennifer Engelhart of Clinton, MO. She has 8 great-grandchildren; Gloria Chaney, Ellie and Reagan Bettencourt, Kacie and Carly Engelhart, Lanie, Easton, Kenzie Engelhart. Freda is also survived by her sister Betty Blumhost and (Ray Mayes) of Vinita, Oklahoma, her brother Richard Dale (Laura Lee) Cornell of Harrisonville, MO and sister Connie (Gary) Sanchez of Sparta, Nevada, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services were held April 8, 2024 at the Clinton Christian Church with Pastor Tim Wessley officiating. Special music included selections performed by vocalist, Megan Johson, guitarist, Matthew Jones, and pianist, Debbie Reith. A special poem, “I’m Free,” was read by Amber Engelhart. The casket bearers were Andrew Engelhart, Aaron Engelhart, Tyler Engelhart, Eric Engelhart, Kyle Engelhart and Jennifer Engelhart. Interment followed in Englewood Cemetery, Clinton, MO.
Services were under the direction of Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, MO.
