Resident of Clarkston, former long-time resident of Alameda, Calif., Freda Rahmgren Greer passed away in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at the age of 96, with her son, Harry, granddaughter Melissa and great-grandson Hunter by her side.
Freda was born in Prescott, Ariz., on Nov. 1, 1926, to Fridolf and Alma Rahmgren. She grew up in Riverbank, Calif., graduated from Oakdale High School and later attended Modesto Junior College. She met Ralph Greer in 1945, and they were married in Modesto, Calif. Son Harry was born in Escalon, Calif., in 1946 while Ralph was attending mortuary college in San Francisco. The family moved to Oakland in the early 1950s. Daughter Beth was born in Oakland in 1953.
Freda was an accomplished seamstress and made custom western shirts and formals for the Rainbow Girls while living in the Bay Area. The family later moved to San Lorenzo, Calif. She worked in the sign shop at the original Mervyn’s Dept. Store in San Lorenzo and later worked for Mervyns in the buying dept. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother and was very involved in the Rainbow Girls.
Freda and Ralph moved to Alameda, when they purchased the George W. Murphy Mortuary, later to become Murphy Greer Mortuary. The family built and operated the Greer Family Mortuary in Alameda for many years and sold the business in December 1988. In 2012, Ralph and Freda assisted their son Harry Greer in the opening of Alameda Funeral and Cremation Services in Alameda. She was a member of the Crankers Club of Lewiston and Clarkston; she was a past president of the Alameda Business and Professional Women’s Club. Past Worthy Matron of Carita Chapter No. 115 O.E.S. of Alameda, Calif., Freda was a member of Vineland Chapter 84 O.E.S. in Clarkston, until they merged with Waitsburg Chapter 9, in Waitsburg. She went through the chairs in Vineland 84 to become Worthy Matron. She also filled the station of Martha as a Star Point. She was very proficient in her memory work as Martha. Freda was a Grand Representative to New Mexico and Arizona in Washington. She was a duel member of Laurel Chapter 13 in Lewiston, where she also filled the station of Martha. In 2019, Freda became a 50-year member of the Eastern Star.
Freda is the beloved wife of the late Ralph Greer; loving mother of Harry W. Greer (Rosa) of Alameda and the late Beth Louise Williams; adored grandmother of Melissa Vincent (Toby) of Clarkston and the late Kyle Simon; great-grandmother of Hunter Simon, Brendan Vincent and Breanna Vincent, all of Clarkston; sister of Ruth Ellen Garrison of Castro Valley, Calif., the late Charles and Leo Rahmgren and Christine Leaf. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation 2-4 p.m., Saturday, July 1, 2023, at the Alameda Funeral and Cremation Services Chapel, 1415 Oak Street, Alameda, CA. Visitation is 5-7 p.m., Thursday, July 6, 2023, at the Merchant Funeral Home 1000 Seventh St., Clarkston, WA. Funeral services at 11 a.m., Friday, July 7, 2023, at the Clarkston United Methodist Church, 1242 Highland Ave., Clarkston WA. Interment at Vineland Cemetery, Clarkston, WA.
For further information, please call, Harry W. Greer, Funeral Director, (FDR-745) Alameda Funeral and Cremation Services, 1415 Oak Street, Alameda, CA 94501, (510) 522-6020.
