Freda Whetten Thayne April 20, 1927 - September 11, 2025

In Loving Memory

April 20, 1927 ~ September 11, 2025

FREDA WHETTEN THAYNE was born in Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico on April 20, 1927, to Charles William and Ivy Tietjen Whetten the fifth of six children. Her parents were of European pilgrim and pioneer ancestry, living among many relatives in the Mormon Colonies in Old Mexico.

When Freda was only 2 years old when her beloved mother died, having recently given birth to their sixth child and Freda’s only brother. She was then raised by her loving father Charles, aunts, uncles, cousins and later her stepmother. Freda spent time living in four of the five Mormon Colonies in Old Mexico, located about 150 miles south of the New Mexico/US border. This was truly a pioneer way of life in a close-knit religious community of family and friends. Far from city life, there was no electricity, refrigeration, phones, running water, indoor plumbing, dentists, hospitals, grocery stores, or places of recreation. Entertainment, as everything else, was home–made; Corn roasts, basketball and baseball games, taffy pulls, plays, rodeos, and weekly dances were Freda’s favorites.

Freda came from a very musical heritage and learned to play the piano by ear. During recess at school, she would take turns playing the piano while others danced. At home, her father would pedal the pump organ while he played chords with his hands and had a child hold his harmonica to his mouth so he could play the melody. Freda’s grandfather was a favorite member of the Stake Presidency since he was a violinist and singer, who willingly played for dances when he visited each Mormon colony. Her mother Ivy was always a popular dance partner, even after getting married. Freda inherited that same love for dancing and music all her life.

Education was important to the colonists, and each of the colonies had elementary education in the one room school/church building. The Church built the Juarez Stake Academy, a two-story building for high school students. They would come from different colonies and board with relatives in Colonia Juarez during the school year. After completing high school, Freda was asked to teach grade school in one of the mountain colonies. She moved in with relatives and taught all the younger children that were in the first through fourth grade levels. She had seven first graders that had not yet learned to read. She not only was the teacher for 28 children, but the custodian that stoked the small pot-bellied stove for warmth and cleaned up after school. Freda spent time working as a waitress, as a telephone operator, and helping her sisters with their families.

As a young adult, Freda cemented her learning of the Spanish language when she served as a Mormon Missionary in the Mexican Mission (which consisted of all of Mexico and Central America). After her mission, she moved to Salt Lake City and worked in the Church membership department in the LDS Church Office Building and was blessed to meet several of the prophets, George Albert Smith, David O. McKay, and other general authorities.

Seventy-four years ago, in 1951, Freda married Orville Thayne, who was also born in the Mormon Colonies, in Colonia Dublan. Orville had previously served in the Marine Corps and a Church Mission to the Western States, in Denver, Colorado. They were married in the Mesa Arizona Temple. Orville then graduated from BYU in Elementary Education, and they raised their four children in Northern California; the family having grown to include 18 grandchildren (spouses) and 44 great grandchildren.

Blessed by having the gospel of Jesus Christ in their families for generations, Orville and Freda have served the Lord faithfully in church callings. Besides various ward and stake callings, Orville served as a bishop when the children were young and Freda served as Stake Relief Society President in the North Sacramento, California area for 15 years—directing bazaars, raising funds, making quilts, putting on programs and dinners. The most important calling to her and her husband, which has been especially appreciated by their family, has been that as a homemaker and as parents in Zion taking excellent care of their immediate and extended family.

After retiring, Orville and Freda served two Spanish speaking Temple Missions together: the first in Bern, Switzerland (Freda-as assistant Temple Matron) and secondly, Lima, Peru (Orville-as a temple sealer). Before and after these missions, they also served years in the Oakland, CA Temple. Much to Freda’s surprise, they had been able to visit 13 different countries; go on Church History, Book of Mormon, and American History Tours, and met, loved, and worked with people from all over the world. They were thrilled that their son served a mission in Australia, and that the three sons-in-law served in Brazil, Holland and Italy.

In 2008, Orville passed away, having dealt with Parkinson’s disease for 10 years. He is greatly missed. An angel person with Christlike attributes, missionary work is certainly his current occupation in heaven. He never spoke ill of anyone and went out of his way to share his love with others. He loved the Lord and truly was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Freda enjoyed learning details about anything. She was especially intrigued with construction and was fascinated as the houses in Heritage Village were built. Other interests include sewing, Scherenschnitte (scissor cutting), Indexing Peruvian Records, decorating, organizing, serving, Sudoku, singing, dancing, and traveling. One unfulfilled goal remained, and that was to drive an 18-Wheeler Semi-Truck!

Freda was the last member of her parent’s family but is survived by her children—Russell (and Leanne) Thayne, Karen (and Neal) Mattson, Marie (and Mark) Kehrer, and Tonya (and Tim) Chase, her 18 Grandchildren (and spouses), and 43 of the 44 Great Grandchildren. Other survivors are her nieces, nephews and cousins and their families. Freda passed away on September 11, 2025.

Freda loved the many truths taught in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and anxiously awaited the arrival of General Conferences and The Ensign Magazine. One of the many that she appreciated was “The same Everlasting Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you . . . or give you unfailing strength to bear it.” (St. Francis de Salas, Ensign, March 2005, p. 50)

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at Greenwood Cemetery, 1220 NE Franklin Avenue, Bend, Oregon. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 952 West 1580 South, Payson, Utah.