John Francis "Jack" Freiburger VII 1928-2006

FREIBURGER, LEE, GUGELMEYER, KACZINSKI, SMITH, MCCLENDON, GRINSTEAD, ANDERSON, STAMP, SCOTT, WILLIAMS

Posted By: Judi Nicks (email)
Date: 12/3/2006 at 14:30:07

Telegraph Herald October 10,2006, page 4C

John Francis "Jack" Freiburger VII

John Francis "Jack" Freiburger VII, 78, of Davenport, Iowa, formerly of Dubuque, died Sunday, Oct. 8, 2006, at home.

Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Chapel, Bettendorf, Iowa. Burial will be in Davenport Memorial Park. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

John founded, owned and operated Freiburger Excavating in Davenport, retiring in 1999 after 45 years of service. In earlier years, he worked as a carpenter at the Rock Island Arsenal for 15 years.

He was born on May 3, 1928, in Dubuque, son of John Francis and Mabel Loretta (Lee) Freiburger VI. He married Elaine M. Gugelmeyer on Nov. 1, 1960, in Utah.

He attended Lost Nation and Davenport schools and served in the Navy during World War II.

His hobbies included watching westerns on television, motorcycles, spending time with his family and friends, and the companionship of his African Grey Parrot, "Elvis."

He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church of Davenport, the Davenport Masonic Lodge, where he was a 32nd degree Mason, Kaaba Shrine, the American Legion and the Davenport Elks Lodge.

Surviving are his wife of 46 years, Elaine; his daughters, Penny (Jack) Kaczinski, and Peggy (Kevin) Smith, both of De Witt, and Patty Freiburger (Rick Bermel), of Muscatine, Iowa; his son, John (Merri) Freiburger VIII, of Bettendorf; his step-daughters, Patricia (Dennis) McClendon, of Davenport and Kathy (Dan) Grinstead, of Davenport; his stepsons, Dick (Jinx) Gugelmeyer, of Davenport, and Mike Gugelmeyer, of Hazel Green, Ala.; 30 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren; his sister, Marilyn Anderson, of Moline, Ill.; his step-sister, Polly Stamp, of Plainsville, Ill.; his step-brother, Henry Scott, of Maquoketa, Iowa; and his special friends, Ken Nolan, of Davenport and Harvey Bergert, of Davenport.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, John Edward; his sister, Bernice "Bunny" Williams; his brother, Walter Freiburger; and several stepsisters and stepbrothers.

The family would like to extend their special thanks to the Visiting Nurses, Genesis Hospice and Goodlife Homecare for their thoughtfulness and loving care.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association.