Edward John Freshnock, age 87, of Manhattan, died January 12, 2023, at Ascension Via Christi Village in Manhattan.
“Ed,” son of John Freshnock and Mary Kotlarchik, was born in Webster Hollow, Pennsylvania on November 3, 1935. He graduated from Rostraver Township high school in 1953. Ed went on to graduate with a B.A. degree in Business Administration and Economics from Bethany College, Bethany, West Virginia, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. He married his wife Margaret Ann Young on June 24, 1960 in Marion, Ohio. He started his retail career with G.C. Murphy & Co. then joined Gambles-Skogmo. Ed retired from Duckwall Alco of Abilene, Kansas after 28 years. During his career, he progressed from store manager to district manager, regional manager and then vice president, relocating his family a total of 12 times. When he was a district manager for one of Gambles’ Tempo stores here in Manhattan, he told Margaret that this would be a great town to raise their family. Eight Years later in 1975, they moved from Worthington, Ohio to Manhattan, where he managed the Alco store with one stipulation: that Alco would not make him move. They set about raising Wildcats with all four of their children attending KSU. He managed store #45 until he retired in 2003. Due to his skillful management, the Alco store was one of the highest performing stores in the chain, supporting families, offering first job experiences and helping employees achieve their dreams.
He joined Rotary in 1967 and remained a member until 2022. He was an active member of First Lutheran Church serving on various committees, as treasurer, council president, usher captain and Stephen minister. He was a longtime member of the Manhattan Country Club where he played the game he loved until he retired from golf in his seventies. He and Margaret also enjoyed gardening, hosting exchange students from the Czech Republic, traveling from coast to coast, to Europe, Canada and Mexico.
He is survived by his wife Margaret, daughters Bethany Klug, DO (David) of Kansas City, Missouri, Nancy Weber (Stan) of Lenexa, Kansas; sons John Freshnock (Rebecca) of Prairie Village, Kansas, Stephen Freshnock (Maura) of Chicago, Illinois; grandchildren Brittani Richardson (Tyler) of Roeland Park, Kansas, Stanton Weber (Natalie) of Columbia, South Carolina, Sarah Freshnock of New York, New York, McKenzi Weber, of Omaha, Nebraska, John “Jack” Freshnock (Jenna) of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Landry Weber of Denver, Colorado and Andrew Freshnock of Prairie Village, Kansas; and his great grandchildren, Payton, Ella and Jace Richardson; sister Jeralene Tetro (Hartley) of Charlestown, West Virginia and niece Shyla Kennedy (Steve), of Purcellville, Virginia.
The family will greet friends at Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home from 4:00 until 5:30 p.m. Thursday, January 26th. A private ceremony will be held by the family.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to First Lutheran Church, Manhattan, Kansas in care of Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home 1616 Poyntz, Ave. Manhattan, Kansas 66502