Obituary of Lauranne Thomas Freyhof

Lauranne T. Freyhof, 83, a retired Jenkintown Elementary School teacher, died from complications of Parkinson's on February 10, 2011. Born August 5th 1927 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mrs. Freyhof was the daughter of George H. and Birgetta S. Thomas. She graduated from Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati in 1945 and attended Connecticut College graduating in 1949 with a BA in elementary education and a minor in music studying piano and organ under world famous organist Andre Marshall. She received a BS in education from the University of Cincinnati in 1951 and her M.Ed. from Beaver College in 1974 and was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma sorority. Mrs. Freyhof moved to the Philadelphia area in 1966 and taught fifth, third, and second grades at Jenkintown elementary school until her retirement in 1992. She continued to tutor students and performed volunteer work at Jenkintown until 2006. Mrs. Freyhof was a long time member of the Abington Presbyterian Church choir and played piano for the church nursery school. A person with many interests, Mrs. Freyhof earned a Black Belt in Shotokan karate in 1988 having the dubious distinction of being the oldest candidate they had ever tested. After her retirement, she built her dream house, a ranch style with large picture windows, and moved from Abington to Churchville, PA, travelling extensively to China, Europe, Egypt, Israel, and Spain along with several memorable cruises to Bermuda with her children and grandchildren. She was a member of the Philadelphia Zoo, the Philadelphia Orchestra and enjoyed opera, the arts, and worked tirelessly on solutions for conservation and world hunger. In her spare time, Mrs. Freyhof knit preemie hats and baby blankets for Children's' Hospital of Philadelphia, sewed comforters and quilts of all sizes, enjoyed gardening and "grandmothering" her seven grandchildren ranging in ages from ten to thirty. Mrs. Freyhof is survived by her three children, John T. Freyhof and his wife Lisa (Bagdonas) Freyhof of Strafford, PA, William D. Freyhof and his wife Loretta( Dow) Freyhof of Churchville, PA, Anne F. Garrett of Wilmington DE, and her late husband Dennis A. Garret, seven grandchildren Joanne H. Freyhof of Chestnut Hill, Katharine J. Freyhof of Washington D.C., Matthew J. Freyhof, Katherine A. Freyhof, David D. Freyhof, Laura R. Freyhof, Anna E. Freyhof, two brothers G. Richard Thomas of Naples Florida, Harold Thomas and His wife Margret of Cincinnati Ohio and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Her memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, February 20, 2011, Abington Presbyterian Church, Old York and Susquehanna Roads, Abington, where friends will be received after the service. Memorial contributions may be made to Philabundance, 3616 S. Galloway St., Phila., PA 19148 ( www.philabundance.org), or to Abington Presbyterian Church, 1082 Old York Road, Abington, PA 19001 for the upkeep and enhancement of the pipe organ, or to the Philadelphia Zoo, Development Department, 3400 W. Girard Avenue, Phila., PA 19104-1196