Freddye Louise (Roulez) Towers

Freddye Louise Towers
April 16, 1922 to October 13, 2020

I want to tell you a little about my life. I want to tell you about my joy, or as we French speakers call it, my joi de vivre! I want to tell you these things so you can remember me and the lessons I learned in my eventful 98 years. 

I have three joys: my family, faith, and friends and loved spending every possible minute dedicated to these joys. Let me tell you about my family, first. My life was very full and blessed with the love of my life, Ed, and our 6 children, 22 grandchildren, 68 great-grandchildren... and even great-great grandchildren!

I was born in a small Belgian mining town in 1922. Before my birth, my father read a book and the main character’s name was “Freddy.” He became fond of that name and wanted it for his son!  Then, I was born.  

Father wanted to name me Freddy anyway; however, the town official would not accept it because it was NOT a "real" name. My father walked away with me in his arms and told the officer, "okay, we won't name her”. I suppose he planned to call me Freddy anyway, but the official invited him back to compromise. 

Ultimately, they agreed on the name Freddye (pronounced freh’DEE.) Although I was an only child, I lived near our close extended family including cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents, often stopping at their homes while roaming the countryside, or traveling to school and back, as a child. 

I want you to remember my stories of how I "bathed" my uncle's homing pigeons, for instance. Or about traditions we had for New Year's Day, Gauffrettes, poetry recitation, and wash day at Marraine's (my godmother and paternal grandmother). I loved her and think I got my resiliency instilled in me from her.  An example of her resilience and grit was when she sent her children ahead of her to France, for safety, as she attempted to walk to France with her wooden leg while the occupying army came behind her entering Belgium.

Even recently, I still made Gaufrettes and passed on the tradition and shared the recipe with family, neighbors, and friends.  If you don’t know these stories and more about me, ask my children and grandchildren for these and many more. They will share the Gaufrette recipe with you, too.

As a young woman, from age 17 to age 22, I survived occupied Belgium in WWII. Imagine being a teenage girl looking at cute boys in uniform---but all those cute boys were the enemy.

I remember the immense joy I felt on D-Day. Finally, Belgium was free... we were free! After liberation, I worked for the American military where I met an American pilot, and the love of my life, Ed Towers. In 1947, we married in Germany and lived throughout Europe and the US. In time, I proudly became an American citizen.

At citizenship, I wish I would have changed my name to Louise, so I did not get mail addressed to Mr. Freddy Towers. Though, maybe it's my father's way of finally getting his wish!

With my family and my friends, we laughed, played, cried, and loved our wonderful lives together. When we played cards or games, you could see my competitive nature and desire to win! I would even occasionally feign not knowing a rule to try and win. I’m not sure the ruse always worked, but sometimes my family would not notice.

I hope you also saw my generosity and my willingness to help friends and neighbors. One time I even taught the officers wives French so we could spend more time together being productive. I loved participation in Relief Society with beloved friends and neighbors and loved crafts and ceramics. Helping others and church service was fun and never a chore.

I hope you have seen me line dancing, taking exercise classes playing with my grandchildren and great grandchildren in the snow or in water fights.  I was even showing off how I could still jump off the curb in Summer 2019 and touch my toes in August 2020.

My family truly is my joy. I love them and was so blessed to find the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and look forward to being together as an eternal family. 

To all my family and friends, thank you for your hugs, smiles, pictures, cards, calls, and time spent together. And most of all, remember me hugging you and telling you, again, that “Bobonne loves you”.

—Freddye Louise Towers

Children of Freddye and Ed Towers:

Diane Ragas, Brian Elliot,  Michel Towers, Steve Towers, Mark Towers, and Saundra Towers Whittemore

Freddye's Service will be live streamed at 1:30 p.m., to watch please scroll to bottom of page.

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