Freda Hillhouse

Memorial services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 14th at Tabernacle Baptist Church for Freda Wagner Hillhouse, age 94, of Roswell, who passed away May 3, 2010. Dr. Onsy Whicker will officiate.

Freda was born October 17, 1915 to William and Christina Hirsch Wagner in Mercer, North Dakota. Educated in the local Mercer schools, she graduated as valedictorian of her Turtle Lake High School Class.

Freda earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Western Dakota University in Minot, North Dakota and later obtained a degree in Spanish from Eastern New Mexico University at Portales.

Teaching school included 16 years as a Spanish Instructor in Roswell High, where she was twice chosen as the Teacher of the Semester, 4 years in Venezuela, South America where she taught the children of the senior staff officials of the Petroleum Companies. In Cartagena, Colombia she helped established a school for the U.S. Naval Mission. Teaching experience also included North Dakota, Minnesota and Oklahoma. After 35 years she took early retirement due to her husbands illness.

She married William Porter Hillhouse in 1953 in Venezuela. Mr. Hillhouse preceded her in death in 1980.

Freda was widely traveled in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, Venezuela, Colombia, Central America and all the Caribbean Islands. While in Europe she visited England, Ireland, Wales, Spain, Portugal and the Balearic Islands.

In retirement, Freda was very active in community service. She was a life member of the hospital Auxiliary and Ambulatory care, as translator in the Neo Natal Clinic and as surgical hostess.

Freda enjoyed working for several years as a greeter for the UFO Museum. There she made excellent use of her knowledge of foreign languages, being fluent in both German and Spanish

Freda was an accomplished hobby artist and a lifetime student of current world events. Every month she would read at least one best seller on world happenings.

Service