Maida (Freiberg) Crown

On Wednesday, January 25, 2012, Maida Margaret (Freiberg) Crown put her needle up for the last time.  Living life to the fullest for 89 years, she was born July 22, 1922, in Westfield, Wisconsin. The daughter of Willard and Edna Krentz, she joined brothers Willard and Keith. When Maida was 18 months old, her father was paralyzed. Her wonderful grandparents, Isbel and Will Quinn stepped in and raised her. She dearly loved her grandfather and was said to have followed in his every footstep until she was a young woman. While attending school in Westfield, she met Willard “Jake” Freiberg. They were married on December 25, 1941. In 1952 Maida was stricken with bulbar and spinal polio and spent many months in an iron lung. She and Jake were proud parents to five children, Paul, Julie, Scott, Greg and Blair.   While employed at Women’s and Families Psychotherapy, she compiled the first directory of women physicians in Wisconsin.  Shortly after Jake's death in 1972 and while working full time and caring for her family, she began to develop her strong love of needlepoint.  An excellent stitcher and one who always encouraged others, she was awarded first prize for her entry in the national competition hosted by the American Needlepoint Guild in 2009. She was also awarded the State Award and the People’s choice award for her outstanding stitching. On April 30, 1988, Maida married Mel “Bud” Crown in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. Bud, from Montello, and she had known each other all their lives and were fortunate to spend 14 years together until Bud passed away on December 10, 2002.  Maida had four priorities. Her family and needlepoint were number one and number two, but running close behind were her love of the Packers and the Badgers.   She knew the players’ numbers and their positions and always had an opinion on the coaching. She was a member of the American Needlepoint Guild chapters in Chicago, Waukesha and San Bernardino, California, and a former member of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America. She was predeceased by her parents, her son Paul, her husband Willard (Jake), her husband Mel (Bud), her brothers Willard and his wife Myrna and Keith and his wife Florence and grandson Mark Mickler.  She leaves behind her beloved family, Julie (David) Mickler, Greg (Melissa) Freiberg, Scott (Cary) Freiberg, and Blair (Mary) Freiberg, and her adopted family, Donna (John) Halpin.  Her sister-in-law, Merlyn Crown Reich and husband, Gary, also survive.  She is also survived by grandchildren Michelle (Dan) Sheldon, Jeffrey Mickler, Jared (Dawn) Mickler, Amanda (Drew) Gottheardt, Lucas (Kristin) Freiberg, Justin (Anna) Freiberg, Jacob (Alissa) Freiberg, Kelsey (Matthew) Papala, Emily Freiberg, Kathryn Freiberg, Stephanie Freiberg and Samuel Freiberg.  She was also honored to have six great-grandchildren, Matthew and Katie Sheldon, Hannah Mickler, Blair Freiberg, Quinn Freiberg and Spenser Gottheardt.  Special friends Kipp Kennedy, Rosemary Duwel and Pat Parson as well as many needlework friends also shared Maida’s life.    Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 29, 2012 from 2:00 until the 4:00PM funeral service at Randle-Dable-Brisk Funeral Home, 1110 S. Grand Avenue, Waukesha. A private burial will be held on Monday at Highland Memorial Park.  In lieu of flowers, Maida asked that, if desired, memorials be made to American Needlepoint Guild (ANG Treasurer) W238 N7007 Michele Lane, Sussex, WI 53089, American Cancer Society, N19 W24350 Riverwood Drive, Waukesha, WI 53188 or the American Heart Association, 660 E. Mason Street Suite 200, Milwaukee, WI 53202. For further information, please call Randle-Dable-Brisk Funeral, Cremation and Preplanning Services at 262-547-4035 or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com for directions or to leave the family an online tribute.  She now rests with God.