Caroline M. Fredrickson

Caroline was born May 1, 1922, in New Independence Township, Minnesota, which is about 30 miles west of Duluth. She was born on a farm homesteaded by her father Erland Fredrickson along the Cloquet River. She was the youngest of nine brothers and sisters. She attended a one room school and a small rural high school, from the latter she graduated second of fifteen. Caroline graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Home Economics Education in August, 1943. Her first job was as a Home Economics teacher in a small community in Martin County, Minnesota, and the next year at Janesville in Waseca County, Minnesota. In 1947 she was accepted by the University Agricultural Extension Service and employed in Blue Earth County (Mankato), Minnesota. Caroline worked with over 1000 women enrolled in home demonstration groups in Blue Earth County, working closely with 4-H clubs, and helping farm families find greater satisfaction in rural living. Thus began a distinguished career. She was promoted to Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota. She became District Supervisor of Home Economics Extension. In 1960-61 she earned a Master’s Degree in Extension Education at Cornell University, and was promoted to Associate Professor.

Fast Forward to July 18, 1979, at a “Conference on International Development Featuring Caroline Fredrickson”, Caroline received the Outstanding Achievement Award of the University of Minnesota. The citation reads: “Caroline Fredrickson has made major contributions to home economics in the area of human services. She was a teacher of home economics at the secondary level, a county extension agent, and district supervisor of home economics extension, University of Minnesota, prior to her entry into international programs.”

”Since 1966, her professional skills and professional efforts have been devoted to action programs in international development for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Currently, she is FAO Project Team Leader and Chairman, Home Economics Department, University of Botswana and Swaziland. Earlier FAO field assignments took her to Sierra Leone, Suva, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea.”

“In each setting she has left behind structures that contribute to improved well-being of individuals and communities. She is a pioneer in bridging the socio-cultural gaps that have prevented women in lesser developed countries from playing a fuller role in development endeavors.”

After five and a half years in Swaziland, Southern Africa, she was asked by the Operations Division at FAO Headquarters in Rome Italy, to take the post as Operations Officer for Southern Africa (Lesotho, Botswana, and Swaziland) covering the fields of agriculture, community development and village improvement. Thus she moved to Rome, with an apartment in ancient Rome at the Circus Maximus.

In 1983 she decided to retire back to St. Paul, Minnesota. In St. Paul her work centered at University Baptist Church, her church since college days, serving on the All Church Council and for three years as President of the Congregation.

In March, 1990, she visited a nephew in Melbourne, Florida. She was reminded of the “whispers of the palm trees” and the attractive ocean/tropical environment and “realized that very important parts of my life were missing.” Once settled in Melbourne she was the first President of the United Nations Association, worked with Brevard County hospice, served as elder at Pineda Presbyterian Church and as team leader of the Building Team for a new Christian Life Center. Over the following years she continued both national and international travel. She increased contact with families in Sweden of her father, Erland and mother, Selma Fredrickson (Svensson), meeting descendants of their brothers and sisters to today. It was interesting to see the lives and levels of success of those who emigrated to the US in the late 1800’s and those who did not. Both routes worked.

Caroline passed away at 5p Thursday, February 27, 2020, at the age of 97 after a long and event filled life.

She is survived by numerous nieces and nephews, including Gordon Nelson of Melbourne, Florida and Neil Fredrickson of Duluth, Minnesota.

A memorial service will be held at Pineda Presbyterian Church on March 8th at 3:00pm. The family asks that donations be made to the Brevard Community Foundation Fund of Gordon Nelson and Caroline Fredrickson.