Joan (Yetter) Freda, age 83, of Indiana died Monday, December 3, 2018 at her home.

She was born on April 14, 1935 in Warren, Minnesota. She grew up in Stephen, Minnesota, Salt Lake City and Minneapolis, where she graduated as valedictorian of the Academy of Holy Angels High School. She studied English at Seton Hill College, where she earned a B.A. She earned her M.A. in adult and community education at IUP.

She met and married Richard N. Freda after she graduated from college. They settled in Indiana, where Joan raised her family and joined a variety of community groups as an active volunteer for the causes she held dear.

She nurtured her lifelong friendships and never stopped forging new connections wherever she went.

Joan also loved travel, and she hit the road with the same curiosity and passion she did everything. With her children and grandchildren scattered, she made trips to California, Connecticut, Canada, Bermuda, Germany, England, Ireland and more. She hiked the moors, overnighted in airports, and hopped on the back of a scooter when she had to. She considered it a point of pride to have made it to every grandchild's high school graduation.

Joan's faith was an especially big part of her life and an ongoing source of comfort. She was a member of St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Indiana and an associate of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Baden, Pa.

She is survived by daughters Barbara Freda and husband Gary Thomas; Patricia Advaney and husband Sushil; daughters-in-law Eva Freda and Marianne Jew; brother James H. Yetter; and nine grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard N. Freda; sons David J. Freda and Richard M. Freda; granddaughter Tea L. Freda; and brothers Thomas B. Yetter and Richard F. Yetter.

Friends will be received on Thursday, December 6 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Bowser-Minich Funeral Home, Indiana. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Friday at noon at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Roman Catholic Church, Indiana, immediately followed by burial in St. Bernard Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Joan's memory to Sisters of St. Joseph (1020 State Street, Baden, Pa. 15005) or VNA Hospice of Indiana County (850 Hospital Road, Suite 3000, Indiana, Pa. 15701).

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