Otto George “Tip” Froendt

OMAHA — Otto George “Tip” Froendt, 88, son of Henry and Ria (Melliwa) Froendt, was born Oct. 12, 1931, in Coleridge, died Nov. 27, 2019, at Remington Heights Retirement Community in Omaha, after a lengthy illness.

Funeral Services were Dec. 3, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Coleridge, with the Rev. Russ Lambert officiating, and Military Honors provided by the Coleridge American Legion Post 114 and the American Legion Riders.  

Burial will be Wednesday at St. John’s Cemetery, Bellevue, with Military Honors provided by the South Omaha American Legion Post #331.

Visitation was Tuesday, at church.  

Arrangements are under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home, Coleridge

Tip was born and grew up in Coleridge and graduated from Coleridge High School in 1948, where he was a letter winner in football, baseball and track, and also served as class president and Student Council president. He enlisted in the United States Army, with basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and Heavy Engineering School at Fort Belvoin, Va., in 1952. He was stationed in Germany during the Korean War and worked as a heavy machine mechanic from 1953-1956. He returned home and attended Milford Community College to be an electrician. He left school before graduating to take care of his ailing mother who passed away in 1958.

While in Coleridge, he worked for Conoco Oil Co., Hefner Oil and Feed, Avery Electric, and then Brandl Electric for many years. He married Joyce E. Hall, Carroll, Nov. 20, 1960, at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Coleridge. They had three children, Bruce, Brenda and Brett.

Tip started Froendt Electric, where he continued to serve the communities of Coleridge, Hartington, Laurel, Randolph and many other surrounding towns for approximately 25 years. He also began driving school bus for Coleridge Community Schools during this time for 24 years. This was one of his favorite activities, as he loved the families he served and being able to continue to attend sporting activities after his children graduated. As a father, electrician and bus driver, Tip found the most delight in making people smile, most often with his never-ending jokes and clever wit. He also loved to repair and construct “gadgets” in his garage. Tip was very hands on and could repair most anything that needed attention.

He loved spending time with his three kids whether it be playing sports, shooting blue rocks, camping, or loading three kids on his scooter to go to the Belden pool, he loved any time with them. In 2009, Tip moved to Omaha, and enjoyed attending activities/events of his children and grandchildren in Elkhorn, Westside High School, and took great pride in serving as a volunteer at AllPlay founded by his son, Bruce.

Tip is survived by his three children and their spouses, Bruce and Sheila Froendt, Brenda and Paul Jacobsen, and Brett and Jackie Froendt, all of Omaha; grandchildren, Allie Froendt; Alex, Nick, Hanna and Cory Jacobsen; and Adam and Amber Froendt; his step grandchildren and their spouses, Tim and Dawn Cich, Steph and JR Gould, and Abbey and Damien Vincent; great-granddaughter Scarlett Jacobsen; and step great-grandchildren, Jaime and Emma Gould, and Elliot and Cora Cich; nieces, Dickie and Karla, and great-nieces and nephews.

Tip was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Carl and Raymond “Toby;” sister-in-law, Lorie Froendt; and niece, Marianna.