V. Freone Hollinger

V. Freone Hollinger, 101, of Ottawa, KS passed away peacefully Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at her home.

She was born June 7, 1920 in Palco, KS the daughter of Dewey McClay and Vera (Sutor) McClay. Early in her life Freone moved with her family to Ottawa, KS where she lived the rest of her life, graduating from Ottawa High School with the class of 1937. 

On October 10, 1942 Freone was united in marriage to Loyd Hollinger.  They shared forty-six years of love and devotion until the death of Loyd in 1988. 

Freone worked for a time at Kansas City Power & Light, in the office of Quinn’s Furniture, Ottawa and for a time in the Franklin County Treasurer’s Office.  The bulk of her professional life was at the Ottawa Herald as a typist for seventeen years until her retirement in 1980.

She was a lifelong member of the Trinity United Methodist Church, Ottawa.  She was an active member of the U.M.W. at the church and served as a district officer of U.M.W. for a time, traveling to area churches.  She was active in the Franklin County Historical Society over the years, often identifying people and locations in pictures donated to the society.  She was also former chairperson and thirty year member of the District #1 Rural Water Board.  When she began her service she was the first woman in the state of Kansas to be on a district water board. Freone managed the Ottawa Farmer’s Market until the age of 90. During her thirty years managing the market she spent numerous hours recruiting vendors for the market and advertising the market.  She was a 4-H leader while her children grew up and was a project leader for horticulture for many years.  She was a Fair judge for horticulture for many years in Franklin, Linn, and Miami counties.  She was also a member of Heart of America Gladiola Society and entered many gladiola shows over the years.

Freone was preceded in death by her husband, Loyd; her parents; brother, Richard McClay, nephew Daryl McClay; and niece Jan Croucher.

She is survived by a daughter, Rita Satterlee and her husband, Neil, Ottawa; two sons, Kean Hollinger Ottawa and Kent Hollinger, Ottawa; two sisters, Maxine Brown, Ottawa, Geneva Culbertson, Watauga, TX; brother, Lyle McClay, Chanute, KS; granddaughter, Janet Seelhoff and her husband Mike, Omaha, NE; grandson, Brent Satterlee Overland Park, KS; great grandson, Ben Seelhoff, Omaha, NE and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, October 22, 2021 at Trinity United Methodist Church, Ottawa.  Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, KS.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church or the Franklin County Historical Society and sent in c/o the Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067.  Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.

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