Gwendella Marleen Herrmann was born at Boonah on March 23, 1936.
She was the eldest child of Edward and Voilet Herrmann (nee Sommer). Her siblings were Daphne (deceased), Lorreen (deceased), Shirley and Bevan.
Pastor Finger baptised Gwen at St John’s Lutheran Church, Kalbar and she was later confirmed by Pastor A Schubert at St Paul’s, Dugandan.
Gwen was educated at Templin State School at Templin which was across the road from the Herrmann farm.
For a brief period, she attended school at Engelsberg (now known as Kalbar) after there was an altercation between her father and Headmaster regarding their German heritage.
She was a keen scholar and won a scholarship to attend St Peter’s Lutheran College, but for a variety of reasons, she did not accept the scholarship.
Gwen was an avid Table Tennis player and frequently won at tournaments as a member of the Templin Table Tennis Club.
She worked on the family dairy and small crops farm until her marriage to Keith John Frieberg at St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Dugandan on December 17, 1955.
Prior to their marriage, there was an interesting story about her riding on the back of Keith’s motorcycle to go bush lemon picking.
Together, Gwen and Keith worked as dairy sharefarmers at Templin and Mt Alford.
Their children, Rosilyn, Clifford and Richard were born at Boonah before the family moved to Ilbogan Road, Beaudesert in 1966 where their youngest son, Sean, was born in 1968.
Here they again worked as sharefarmers growing potatoes, lucerne and pumpkins.
After leaving the farming industry, they bought and operated the school bus and charter service in the Beaudesert town area for many years.
Gwen also worked in Beaudesert hotels in the bar and catering areas for about twenty years.
As a member of St Paul’s Lutheran Church for 58 years, Gwen was also a member of the Women’s Fellowship.
She held the position of secretary for over 50 years except for two years when she was President.
She would pick up her friend, Audrey Mills, to attend fellowship and church.
Gwen loved attending morning teas and fashion parades at the other Ladies’ Guilds and attended Fellowship Day Zone Rally days.
She enjoyed going to other churches in Beaudesert to celebrate Pancake Day and The World Day of Prayer.
Gwen was known to be a very caring person and a diligent worker.
She was always there to set up the tables in the church hall for St Paul’s morning teas, Advent teas, and Reformation Day.
She made sure that tables were nicely decorated with little pots of flowers which she made up at home. She washed and ironed the tablecloths after each event.
St Paul’s had a Street Stall in Beaudesert every year and Gwen made her famous ginger and chocolate sponges, Anzac biscuits and fluffy pikelets.
They were so popular that people would put in their orders from one year to the next.
Gwen was involved every Wednesday in the local Day Respite Centre (now Beaucare), being a volunteer for 30 years since its inauguration and a steering committee member for numerous years where she would lead by example in her wisdom, good counsel, and shared responsibility in overseeing the programs’ directions.
Judy Brookes, who was co-ordinator when Gwen was there, has commented that Gwen’s compassion was both kind and boundless.
She was a much loved and valued volunteer who had a way of making all the folks at the day care centre feel seen, heard and valued.
Prior to arriving at the centre on a Wednesday, Gwen would prepare her pikelets in collaboration with Gloria Neuendorff baking her scones, ready for the much-anticipated morning teas.
Over several years, the centre placed craft and cooking entries in the Beaudesert Show.
This event required Gwen’s supervision of the pikelet making in a kitchen full of willing participants.
Her laughter was contagious, and her presence was comforting.
There was always plenty of laughter over obtaining the correct shape of a winning pikelet.
The reward came in the joy and surprise of the faces of the folks and staff when an award certificate was often achieved.
Gwen remained a constant figure throughout the changes in staff and new government regulations affecting policies and procedures in the kitchen and volunteer roles.
She continued to enjoy the many different events and outings with everyone throughout the years. Her devotion was tireless, and she was greatly loved and valued.
Gwen’s service to the Beaudesert community was recognised in 2015 with her nomination for Senior Citizen of the Year which was part of the Australia Day Awards presented by the Scenic Rim Regional Council.
Another especially important aspect in her life was her devotion to her family.
This first began when she became a ‘second’ mum to her youngest siblings, Shirley and Bevan. She has always introduced Bevan to people as her little baby brother, Bevan.
An interesting story was that while Gwen was babysitting, her ‘little baby brother Bevan’ required a nappy change and she discovered that he was built differently to her sisters. She was a little slow in changing and he scored a ‘bullseye’.
Gwen and Keith have always supported their children in their endeavours.
Rosilyn was encouraged to complete her senior education which enabled her to attend university to embark on a teaching career.
Clifford and Richard were assisted in learning their trade at Tancred’s Meatworks.
Gwen’s work in the hotels enabled Sean to attend Concordia Memorial College and then embark on his career at Hohl Plumbing and then into the gas industry.
She was devastated, as was the whole family, when Sean died in a tragic truck accident.
The next stage in her life was the celebration of marriages and the arrival of grandchildren and then great grandchildren.
She would often babysit her grandchildren while the parents were working.
Clifford and Pauline’s marriage was blessed with two children, Christopher and Natalie. Christopher and Natalie now have their own children, great grandchildren to Gwen and Keith: Christopher with Piper, and Natalie and her fiancée, Scott with Costin. Sean and Natasja’s marriage was also blessed with two children, Alexander and Caitlin.
Alex married Casey and now have three great grandchildren to Gwen and Keith: Bruce, Eddie and Hannah. Gwen has always enjoyed the visits from her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and they were frequent visitors at her bedside in the hospital.
Gwen’s hobbies included gardening, crosswords, crocheting, handicrafts, reading and travelling.
She loved her gardens and there came a time when Natasja offered to assist with spraying the weeds.
Gwen showed Natasja the difference between plants, flowers and weeds so that Natasja could begin her task.
It became a running joke between them, whenever it was time to spray again.
Gwen would say, “Don’t spray the plants!” and Natasja would reply, “I won’t.”
Everything went well for a few years until . the passionfruit vine died.
Natasja was never again asked to spray the weeds.
Over the years, family members have received gifts of her crochet work for birthdays and Christmas.
Gwen become Rosilyn’s travelling companion as she attended conferences around Australia relating to her work.
Gwen was such an intrepid traveller that she even agreed to embark on a Redeemer Lutheran College Outback Tour to central Australia.
This meant camping in tents for three weeks with more than 40 teenagers and riding a camel – she was in her mid-sixties!
She received a certificate from the students for ‘Never having a hair out of place and for being immaculately groomed’.
Gwen and Keith have celebrated many milestones with their family during their marriage: 25 years, 40 years, 50 years, 60 years and 65 years.
At the end of this year, it would have been their 69th year of marriage.
They have always been there to support each other during the happy and incredibly sad times. Gwen was only 16 when they started dating. Keith was 23 and Gwen was 19 when they married.
Gwen attributed their long marriage to mutual respect.
She stated he does his thing, and I do what I want to do.
Gwen said they had one rule throughout their marriage. “I do not clean fish. You bring fish home, you clean them. I’ll cook them but I will not clean them.”
In her later years, Gwen had to deal with different health issues which she managed with fortitude.
She had to endure two knee replacement operations, an infection in one of her knee replacements, wet macular degeneration, two cataract operations, heart issues, osteoarthritis in her shoulder and spine and a major bowel cancer operation.
Earlier this year, she was informed that she had terminal stomach cancer and a month ago the bowel cancer returned.
She has endured all of this with a fighting and positive spirit.
Gwen’s journey on earth may have ended but her spirit continues, resonating in our hearts, mirrored in our actions and reflected in the love we share.
She is now resting in peace with her Lord.
