Dewitt Obits

Waltraud "Vi" Friedrich

Waltraud "Vi" Sophie Friedrich, 82, of Heyworth died Saturday (March 18, 2017) at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington.
 
Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary's Church in Bloomington, with the Rev. Gregory Nelson officiating. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery in Normal immediately following services. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington.
 
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Mary's School or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital-Midwest Affiliate.
 
To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com.
 
She was born on Nov. 4, 1934, in Essen, Germany, daughter of Gottfried and Christine Engel Decker. She married Paul Joseph Friedrich on Nov. 22, 1958, in Bloomington.
 
Surviving are her husband, Paul of Heyworth; her five children, son, Joseph (Nancy) Friedrich of Heyworth, daughter, Kathleen (Paul) Ohanian of Scottsdale, Ariz., twin sons, Billy Friedrich and Bobby (Betsy) Friedrich and daughter, Jackie Friedrich, all of Heyworth. Also surviving are 10 grandchildren, Emily, Austin, Taylor, Logan and Michael Friedrich, Karly and Lily Sage, and Samuel, Ethan and Sophie Ohanian; one brother, Walter Decker of Washington; and one sister, Renee (William) Mueller of Dunlap.
 
She was preceded in death by her parents.
 
Vi immigrated to the United States from Germany as a teenager. She worked as a secretary at Beich’s Candy Company before meeting Paul at St. Mary's Church. Her loyalty remained with her family, farming, gardening, cooking and raising their five children.
 
She was a member of St. Mary's Church and because of her love of singing, she was in the church's choir. She was a talented artist and member of the Red Hat Society.