DORIS MARIE FREITAG
DORIS MARIE FREITAG
Doris Freitag, a 32-year resident of Glendale and former teacher at Verdugo Woodlands Elementary School, passed away of age-related causes at home in Simi Valley on Easter Sunday morning, April 24. She was 93.
Doris was born on March 2, 1918 in Sheboygan Falls, WI to Paul and Laura Bachmann. Her father, a Lutheran school teacher, accepted a call to go to Kodaikanal, a remote mission outpost in the Palani Hills of southern India, then ruled by the British. Doris arrived at age four and spent her formative years there where her father was the headmaster/teacher and her mother the housemother at the Lutheran boarding school for missionary children.
Returning to the U.S. in 1935, Doris attended Concordia Teachers College in Seward, NE, graduating in 1938. Doris first taught in Peoria, IL and in 1940 wed Alfred Freitag, whom she had met in college. They were married for nearly 66 years until his passing in 2006.
Doris later taught elementary school in Lincoln Park, MI where her husband was principal of Detroit Lutheran High School until he was called to California in 1953 to start what would become Los Angeles Lutheran High School.
She taught at Good Shepherd and Faith Lutheran Schools in Inglewood and, following a move to Glendale, at Verdugo Woodlands Elementary School for 16 years. She earned her masters degree from Pepperdine University before retiring after 47 years in the classroom, split evenly between public and Lutheran schools. While residing in Glendale, Doris was also active in the life of Zion Lutheran Church, where her husband was pastor.
Doris is survived by her three children, Rev. John Freitag (Rita) of Rogersville, TN; Carol Sholer (Michael) of Glendale and Mary Rooney (Kevin) of Simi Valley as well as 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Rosemead on Sat. June 4 at 12 noon.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Concordia University in Seward, NE or Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO.