Kenneth Fredricks

Kenneth “Wayne” Fredricks was born on Oct. 15, 1939, in Cass Lake, Minn., to Kenneth M. and Verona (Jacobson) Fredricks. Wayne, as his family called him, had a rather dramatic entry into the world. Born at home, his mother shared that there was a huge lightning storm that evening and just as the doctor was trying to deliver Wayne, the lights went out. He was unable to hold on to the baby and Wayne slipped from his arms, hitting his head on the bed. Despite early fears that this might cause a problem, Wayne seemed to flourish as a child. However, as an adolescent, he began to have seizures. After a virulent case of whooping cough the seizures became unmanageable and eventually doctors recommended brain surgery. 

Unfortunately, the brain surgery was not the miracle his family had hoped for. While the seizures were better, Wayne was left both physically and mentally challenged.  

For the next several years his parents kept him home and worked hard to help him to re-learn life skills. He had been paralyzed on his left side and in those early years, he needed help learning to walk, talk, eat and everything else that goes along with daily life. As he grew older, he needed more advanced help and therapy to become more independent. So as a young adult, he became a resident at nearby Brainerd State Hospital, in Brainerd, Minn. It was there he began to receive vocational/occupational training.   Wayne would reside there for the next several years.

In the late 1950s his parents, Kenny and Verona, moved out to Montana with Wayne’s youngest sister Connie. Like many folks from the mid-west, they traveled to Libby to go to work for the J. Neils Lumber Company. Wayne, who was now established at Brainerd and his sister Karen, who was going to college at the time, stayed behind in Minnesota.

In the 1980s Wayne moved into a group home (Hanson’s) in Thief River Falls, Minn. What a blessing. This is where Wayne truly flourished. He had wonderful caregivers and his housemates became his second family. He resided at Hanson’s for the next 30-plus years and many of the same housemates and caregivers remained with him almost his entire stay. They went above and beyond to make his life meaningful and joyful. Wayne’s family can never thank Jody Vigness and all the Hanson’s staff enough for the love they brought to Wayne’s life over the years.

His days were always busy. He traveled each day to work at the Day Activity Center (DAC). The staff at the Falls DAC were wonderful to Wayne as well. What special folks they all are. Work was very important to Wayne. He had a great work ethic and continued to work until a fall three years ago (at the age of 72) that left him wheelchair bound. 

He led a very active social life as well. He loved to “cut a rug” and enjoyed going to dances. The group home folks loved to celebrate and there was always something going on; birthday and holiday parties, bowling, bingo, scouts, crafts and the list goes on. He loved going out to eat, westerns, cartoons, parades and dressing up. He had a huge selection of ties and wore one almost every day.

Wayne believed in Jesus and loved going to church. He loved to pray, especially the Lord’s Prayer. One of his favorite songs was “Jesus Loves Me.”  

Music was a huge part of Wayne’s life. He could carry a tune and loved to sing or hum along to his favorite songs. You knew a song was especially meaningful to Wayne as he would get tears in his eyes. His family loved it when he would sing “You Are My Sunshine,” and that will forever be his theme song.

While he had a great life with his Minnesota friends and family, he still considered Montana his home. He spent summers and holidays vacationing with his family here in Libby. They would travel to Minnesota to see him as well. He was very connected to his Montana family. He moved to Montana to be closer to his family in 2013.

Wayne never met a stranger. If you were to meet him, he would immediately reach to shake your hand with a big grin and tell you “I am Wayne, I am from Montana I am.” Then he would usually show you his watch, hat or glasses; all prized possessions. 

While God did not choose an easy path for Wayne, he did bless Wayne with a loving family, friends and caregivers who helped him cope with his limitations and allowed him to have a happy, spiritual and meaningful life. 

“Wayne-O” was an inspiration to his family, friends and many folks along his journey. At one time the greatest hope was that he would walk and talk again. Well not only did he learn to walk, he learned to dance. Not only did he learn to talk again, he learned to sing with joy. We will miss you greatly “Wayne-O” but we are so happy that you are with your parents and sisters again.

With family by his side, Wayne passed away on Sept. 4, 2015, at Cabinet Peaks Medical Center following a brief illness, just short of his 76th birthday. Funeral services were held on Sept. 8 and he was laid to rest at the City of Libby Cemetery.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Kenny and Verona; his sister, Karen Pemberton, and her two sons, John Mark and David Christian Pemberton; his sister Connie Wood and brother-in-Law Topper Wood.

He is survived by his Uncle Philip Fredricks in Mobile, Ala.; brother-in-law John Pemberton, Columbia Falls; nieces and nephews, Karen and Bob Stickney, Caral and Jim Hilliard, Gary and Kathy Wood, Joe and Colleen Wood and their families, all of Libby; Ken Pemberton and Kim Cavalar of Spokane, Wash., and their families; great-nieces and great-nephews Sean Hilliard, Bryce Hilliard, Chance Hilliard, Jenny May Wood, Jill Rooney, Gary Wood, Ryan Wood, Patrick Wood, Matt Wood, Brent Wood, Jordan Wilkes, Brenna Chvilicek, Cody Wood, Angela Hansen, Tony Cavalar, Nick Cavalar and all their families, which include 15 great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews. Lastly he is survived by cousins in Minnesota, Oregon and California and honorary family members, Jody and Jim Vigness of Grand Forks, N.D.