Freda Mary Learned Oswald (Oswalt)

Freda Mary Learned Oswalt died peacefully at her home on May 19, 2021. She was born on October 27, 1955, in Claremont, New Hampshire. Shortly thereafter, her family moved to Winchester, Virginia, where Freda attended Sacred Heart Academy and John Handley High School.

After high school, she moved to Los Angeles where she received an associate degree in fashion merchandising from the Fashion Institute. She discovered that she loved bartending and worked in various restaurants in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, building deep friendships with co-workers, customers, and her colleagues from other restaurants.

On March 30, 2014, she married William (Ozzie) Oswalt, and they made their home in Manhattan Beach overlooking the Pacific Ocean. They were both avid golfers and traveled frequently. Ozzie passed away in 2019; in the last year of his illness, Freda became his caretaker so that he could remain at home.

Freda worked for Amtrak as a lead service attendant, supervising the onboard dining and hospitality services on train runs from Los Angeles to Chicago or New Orleans. She loved working with her crew and was commended many times for her outstanding customer service skills.

Through the years, Freda raised thousands of dollars for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles by putting oversized baby bottles for spare change in area restaurants and by sponsoring events such as a “Polish” golf tournament. She also helped with food drives and other charities.

But mostly, she loved being with people, always with a smile, a twinkle in her eye, and, often a humorous quip. She had the rare gift of making each person she met feel like her best friend. She loved deeply and was, in turn, loved deeply by all who knew her. She was a beacon of light, love, and joy.

She is survived by her two sisters and their husbands, Nancy and David Haines and Betty and John Friant, and three nieces, Melanie Harari (David), Elizabeth Goepp (Julius), and Anne Friant (partner Nick Ludolph). She leaves many, many loving friends and her extended family.

Contributions in her memory may be sent to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles -- www.chla.org .