Mathias John Freuen

Mathias J. Freuen passed away Monday evening in his home with his family by his side. He was 96.
Mathias was born November 25, 1920, in Oshkosh to John and Hedwig Pokriefke Freuen. He had one sister, Margaret Pucci, who preceded him in death.
He answered the call to serve his country in the Navy when he was a young man, spending tours in Panama during World War II and Japan during the Korean War. While he was away, he sent his parents pictures instead of postcards. He developed them as slides so the whole family could see what he was experiencing abroad.
When Mathias returned to Oshkosh he began work at the Gibson Company. He spent his entire career at the multi-location Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac company, ultimately retiring as its Executive Vice President. He was active and engaged in his community post-retirement, notably as a volunteer at the polls for every election.
He felt fortunate to have met Dorothy Bickford; they were married on May 22, 1954, at Saint Mary Parish in Oshkosh. They had one daughter, Teresa Anne.
Faith and family were important to Mathias. He was a devout Catholic and a dedicated member of Saint Mary Parish, where he was Baptized and celebrated every one of his sacraments. He attended elementary through high school there, and often shared his experiences as an altar boy. Later in life, he bowled at the Saint Mary’s alleys. The parish was a centerpiece of his life.
Mathias enjoyed making his loved ones laugh and had a light-hearted quip for every situation. "Remind me to buy you a beer someday," he'd say, quickly followed by, "How about the second Tuesday of next week?" He also was known to lean back after his second piece of pie at Thanksgiving dinner and say, "Huh. That was pretty good for a change!"
Mathias is survived by his wife and daughter. Other survivors include son-in-law Fred Leach, granddaughters Kirstin Siegler (Jon Siegler) and Holly Leach, and nieces Patricia Pucci and Mary Denure.
Visitation will be held 10-11 a.m. Friday, May 19, at Saint Mary Parish, 605 Merritt Ave., Oshkosh, WI, 54901, with Mass to follow. A memorial has been established.
The family offers a special thank you to Amy Knapp. We will never forget the kindness and comfort you brought to Matt and his entire family during his final days.