Memorial Expenses for Fredrick "Phred" Hamann

As you may know, Fredrick "Phred" William Hamann, passed from this realm on April 15, 2022..

Due to this unexpected tragedy, we have created this gofundme to help my sister and I with memorial expenses, if offered. We were not prepared for these unexpected expenses and it will mean so much to give Phred the beautiful tribute that he deserves.

Anything will help. Much love.

Fredrick was born on January 17, 1956, in Bloomington, Minnesota, to his loved and dearly respected mother, Roselyn “Rosie” Julia (Nielsen) Hamann, and father, Clarence Carl Hamann. Phred grew up in Burnsville, Minnesota, the middle of seven children. His family was always deeply important to him and he maintained close relationships with his siblings throughout their adult lives. As a child, Phred certainly stood out from the pack with his fun loving, adventurous, and mischievous spirit. He definitely gave his mother Rosie a run for her money, though she loved him dearly. He shared childhood memories of his time as a Boy Scout, time spent with his grandparents on their farm, and the joys of growing up in an often chaotic house full of siblings.

As a young man he developed a charisma that drew many to him. He had the gift of gab and was always the life of the party with his witty and irreverent humor. He was admired for his good looks, confidence, devilish charm, and non-conformist attitude. His open and welcoming personality compelled him to make friends everywhere he went-from his neighbors to his waitresses to his doctors and nurses. Phred loved with his whole heart and accepted everyone for who they were. He had a way of making everyone feel as though they were his best friend. With his introduction to and fascination with Facebook in his later years, his social network grew to expand around the globe. His family often teased him about his addiction to social media, but he so relished the human connection.

Phred was also a great friend to animals and had many pets that he loved. He rarely was without a pet, often having more than one. He would try to say he was taking in animals for the sake of others in his life, but we all knew he enjoyed their company just as much if not more so. Not only did he love his own pets, but he was friends with all the animals in his neighborhood. Phred was adored by all the dogs that walked along his block because he always carried treats to share with them as they passed by. He also befriended the neighbors’ outdoor cats and sang with the birds in his yard. Even the squirrels in his neighborhood were lovingly called “Phred’s squirrels” because he was always feeding them too.

In contrast to Phred’s larger than life social persona, he also maintained an expansive inner world. His intellect and philosophical nature led him to ponder the great questions of life, the human condition, the meaning and purpose of it all. He expressed these thoughts eloquently and although he would be too humble to claim the title himself, those closest to him considered him a poet and coveted his wisdom. He was also a man of deep emotion who felt everything intensely. His empathy made him sensitive to the injustices of the world, a weight he sometimes carried on his own shoulders. This lent to his sense of duty to stay socially and politically informed, his strongly held personal convictions-convictions so strong he was willing to risk a facebook ban by expressing them- and his dedication to help anyone that he could. Phred’s dedication to make a difference led him to spend some of his working days managing a group home for cognitively disabled individuals and to spend several years of his later life volunteering to manage a food truck that fed people experiencing homelessness in St. Paul. In smaller, but equally significant ways he lived a life of helping others by doing things like racing to be the first one out to snow blow so that he could get to his neighbors' sidewalks before they did.

Phred’s deep interest in the human experience gave him a zest for life that sometimes left him restless for novelty, always dreaming about his next big thrill or adventure. He often reminisced about the times he spent skydiving when he was younger and recently had been making plans with Julia to go again, no doubt emboldened by the family zip-lining experience they did with Cora’s family just a few years back. Phred would regularly share his big dreams out loud; “When I win the lottery…” he would often proclaim. He had so many beautiful ideas about the grand adventures he would someday embark on and the ways he would share his golden years with those he loved the most.

Phred dabbled in many lines of work throughout his life. He was a Jack of All Trades, primarily in carpentry, and could fix just about anything. You couldn’t go on a car ride in the cities without him pointing at some building or billboard that he had a hand in constructing. He always had some home project he was working on in his free time and loved to help others with their projects too. His ingenuity and creativity shined through his craftsmanship. Some of the last projects he worked on were reviving the wood floors in Cora’s house and building a flower press with Julia.

Phred wore many hats, but the title that he was most proud of was Dad. He had two daughters with his high school sweetheart, Carrie. His daughters, Cora and Julia, were his guiding lights and his best friends. His pride in them was obvious. He couldn’t help himself in bragging about their every accomplishment, no matter how small. He would share just about every one of their Facebook posts-regardless of what they would tell him was typical social media etiquette. This pride he felt extended to his grandchildren as well. His love for them gave him a renewed sense of purpose in his life. In his last years he spent as much time with his children and grandchildren as he could, soaking in all their love.

When Phred was not busy enjoying the company of his family and friends, he could often be found in his garden. He was in his element in the sunshine, tending to his veggies and flowers or working on his latest project, while blaring the music he loved for the whole neighborhood to enjoy-often classic rock or his latest newly discovered favorite from Spotify. The backyard was an oasis for him and his life partner and soulmate, Linda. They dreamed of traveling to Key West together and although they never made the trip, they created their own little paradise in the home they shared. He was so happy here and considered himself a lucky man.

We know that Phred is now basking in his heavenly garden, free, laughing, dancing, and feeling all the love that he put into the universe coming back to him, his bright spirit shining like the sun.

Phred was preceded in death by his grandparents Alfred and Maime Hamann, Estelle Julia and Otto Fredrick Nielson, his mother and father Roselyn and Clarence Hamann; his brother-in-law John Cooley (Margo Hamann); and many four legged friends.