Frieda A Luik

Frieda Alvina Luik died peacefully on Monday January 30, 2012 following a several year battle with dementia. She was born in Broadus, Montana on March 3, 1915 to John and Katharine Hepperle on a land grant homestead that her parents had obtained from the US government. When she was still an infant her parents moved to McLaughlin, South Dakota where they started another farming operation.

It is difficult to grasp how different was the world of South Dakota in 1915 from the Portland where Frieda spent most all of her adult life. Her parent’s farm was almost 20 miles from the nearest town and in the harsh Dakota winters the only way to get around was by horse drawn sleighs. Her family was largely self-sufficient, growing their own vegetables and raising their meat. Electricity did not arrive until the late 1920’s and indoor plumbing had to wait until the 1970’s. Like all the children in the country, Frieda attended a one-room schoolhouse which only taught grades 1-8.

With the advent of the depression, Frieda along with a childhood friend moved to Portland, which was already becoming a destination for those displaced by the dust bowl. She initially worked as a cook for a family in the West Hills, before taking a job running an elevator in a downtown office building. It was there in the elevator that she met her future husband, Harold Luik to whom she was married for 63 years.

Harold and Frieda were married in November 1946 and soon purchased a house in the Hollywood area of Northeast Portland. Except for a brief time in Stockton California, they lived there until moving to an assisted living facility.

Frieda was a homemaker who excelled at cooking, baking, sewing and gardening. She loved entertaining and regularly into her 80’s had large groups for dinner. Along with her family and church, her home was the center of her life. She had a wide circle of friends, both from her own generation and also those much younger. She was a member of Portland First Church of the Nazarene for over 60 years and was always actively involved in all of its activities from cooking church dinners to planting bulbs. Until the last couple years of her life, she and Harold could be found almost every Sunday in their favorite pew.

Frieda is predeceased by her husband and her brothers, Wilmer and Orville. She is survived by her son, John Luik, of St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada and his wife, Janet, and nieces, Jacki and Taley Hepperle of McLaughlin, South Dakota, Barbara Balmforth and her husband, Dr. Ken Balmforth of Beaverton, and her great nephews, Dr. Greg Balmforth and Paul Balmforth.

A Service to Celebrate Her Life will be held at Ross Hollywood Funeral Chapel, Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 2:00 pm with a reception to follow. Private committal will be with her husband at Willamette National Cemetery.

Arrangements under the direction of Ross Hollywood Chapel & Killingsworth St. John's Lombard Little Chapel of the Chimes, Portland, Oregon.