Almarie Jensen Frentrup

Eulogy for Almarie Frentrup

My grandmother Almarie Jensen Frentrup was born on January 25, 1926, to Ralph and Alma Ferris Jensen. She passed away peacefully on August 3, 2008, following several severe illnesses that began in May. Her unusual name was a combination of Alma Marie, her mother's name.

She was a lifelong resident of Austin, having grown up in the country on Little Walnut Creek and then south of Austin, both now within north and south Austin. She and my Grandfather Max Otto Frentrup were married on January 17, 1947. He was the son of Otto and Selma Kuehne Frentrup of the Austin area. He preceded her in death on June 28, 2001, following a prolonged illness through which she cared for him with devotion. Her brother Harold Jensen passed away in 1997 and her sister Margaret Schmidt passed away in 1998.

My grandmother graduated from Austin High School in 1942. She and my grandfather had been sweethearts and continued their relationship through correspondence while he served with the Marine Corps in the World War II, participating in landings on Tarawa, Timian, Saipan, and Okinawa, and in the occupation of Nagasaki. As it was for many on the home front, worry became her companion. In 1945 when he returned, they began to plan their lives together, and were later married. They built their own home in South Austin before their children were born, living in it much of the time it was under construction.

My grandfather started out working as a printer and then became a union carpenter until his retirement. They had three sons: David Max born July 1, 1952, Mark Andrew, born July 8, 1954 and John Christopher, born August 24, 1955. My grandfather served with the Seabees in the Navy Reserves, and the whole family went on vacation trips with him to yearly training, twice driving to California, and once to Rhode Island. My grandmother would sew shirts for the boys out of the same material, so they wouldn't run off and get lost.

Needless to say, my grandmother had her hands full when the boys were small, being born three years apart, and surely later on as well, but she would only say "They were good boys" when offered sympathy. I don't know if that was always true. My dad has told me of the time when they were all visiting my grandfather's mother, when the boys were all very young. My dad came to grandma for the umpteenth time, whining that "Mark hit me." Grandma, in exasperation, said "Well hit him back." Which my dad proceeded to do - with a two by four! Grandma told me, with a smile after all these years, that she stayed in the doghouse with great grandma for a while after that. But if they were good, and I believe they tried to be, it was not just their doing, but because they had a wonderful mother who encouraged them in their talents and abilities, while understanding that "boys will be boys." You only had to remind her that she was out-numbered by males in the family to get a good laugh, but that laugh spoke volumes about her satisfaction and pride.

My father Chris and uncle Mark eventually followed their careers to Maryland and Michigan, and uncle David remained in Austin. David's wife Kerry, who had been close to my grandmother, especially in the last several years, says she feels very fortunate to be the daughter she never had, and that fulfilling that role has been one of the most gratifying experiences of her life, and unlike any other.

When the boys started school, my grandmother went to work at the Internal Revenue Service, then later for the Veteran's Administration in 1966. She was eager to begin retirement as soon as she could after many years of clerical and keypunch operator work.

She took German classes at the Lifetime Learning Institute from 1991 - 1998 while my grandfather was her schoolmate studying Creative Writing. It's said that she spoke German in her sleep, probably from doing memorization exercises. She continued to enjoy sewing and crafts, and looked after her mother, who died at age 93.

In their retirement, my grandparents spent much of their time in activities they could enjoy together, participating in the Skyview Baptist Church Kitchen Band, performing at nursing homes and other facilities for the elderly throughout the central Texas area. They traveled often to see their children and grandchildren, all of whom are extremely blessed by their generosity, kindness, and gentle natures, and the example they surely hoped would be admired and cherished.

They seemed inseparable, traveling frequently before and after retirement to many Second Division Marines Reunions. They went on trips at home and abroad. They traveled by riverboat on the Mississippi, by train through the West, by ship on an Alaskan cruise, and by train through Canada. They flew overseas to the South Pacific, Hawaii, New Zealand (twice), Australia, and Europe. They celebrated their 50th anniversary on a romantic cruise through the Panama Canal.

Anyone who knew my grandmother is aware that reading was central to her life, second only to her family. Enjoyment and learning were one and the same to her, but her breadth of knowledge was hidden by her modesty -- she was drawn by the things she didn't know, yet was never boastful about the things she did know.

As a teenager she walked across town to the library as often as possible. She said that she was only allowed to check out two books at a time, and it was so far that by the time she got home she would have nearly finished one of them.

During and following World War II, my grandmother worked at the University of Texas Extension Library. Her job was to catalogue articles, pasting them in folders for researchers. She became so interested in what she was doing that she taught herself speed reading to keep up with all the information she wanted to know.

Many of us remember her saying she wished she had a third hand so she could read while cooking and doing housework. Her phrase "see print read it" was her humorous explanation for her pastime. She educated herself in many subjects, especially history and biography.

In her later years, she had memory problems, but she still enjoyed reading. She continued to enjoy spending time with my aunt in conversations about events in the past and how she felt about them, especially about her family. Many of the books she had read were still alive in her mind. Like few people, reading and learning were second nature to her, and the source of her free spirit.

It might not be surprising to know that in her retirement years my grandmother spent some time doing volunteer work with the Austin Public Library. As a token of appreciation, she was given this book, "101 Great American Poems" (hold up book to read). She would probably think this is way over the top, but sometimes our souls can be that way. On page 32 there is a poem by Emily Dickinson, "There is no frigate like a book."

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!