ROMANA FRIEDRICHSEN, 94 of rural Calumet, Iowa, passed away Tuesday afternoon, September 13, 2016 in the Cherokee Specialty Care.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 17th, at 2:30 p.m. at the Zion United Church of Christ in Calumet, Iowa. Rev. Kristy L. May will officiate. Burial will be in the Obrien-Liberty Cemetery at Calumet, Iowa. There will be a family prayer service at 2:15 p.m. at the church on Saturday. Visitation will be on Saturday from 1 p.m. until service time at the church with the family present at that time. The Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa is in charge of the arrangements. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Romana was born on March 15, 1922 at Currie, Minnesota to Oscar & Julia (Beech) Gaudian. She was baptized in the Church of "Immaculate Heart of Mary" at Currie, Minnesota on March 20, 1922. She attended school in Calumet, graduating in 1940. She was the eldest of five children.

Romana was united in marriage to Elmer Friedrichsen on August 19, 1941 at Sutherland, Iowa. Soon after their marriage, Elmer entered the Armed Services and she followed him to various training commands to be near him as she could. After Elmer's deployment overseas she returned to his parent's farm to help with the farming. When the war ended, she and Elmer began farming on their own. They farmed for many years in the Larrabee and Calumet areas, raising a family as well. To this union, three children were born; Eugene, Lynn, and Nancy.

She was an active member of the United Church of Christ of Calumet and past member of the Calumet American Legion Auxiliary. She also enjoyed being a member of the Red Hat Society, going fishing with her husband, playing cards, and playing with the grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Elmer on December 11, 1998, brother Merideth Gaudian of Storm lake, Iowa; two sisters and their husbands Kathlyn (Bill) Jackson of Canby, Oregon and Delphine (Leroy) Whalen of Seattle, Washington; brother-in-law Robert Walrath; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Delbert & Colleen Friedrichsen of Paullina, Iowa.

She is survived by her three children: Eugene (JoEllen) Friedrichsen of Aberdeen, South Dakota; Lynn (Pat) Friedrichsen of Larrabee, Iowa; Nancy Friedrichsen of Cherokee, Iowa; sister Virginia Walrath of Battle Ground, Washington; 5 grandchildren: Jeffrey (Terri) Friedrichsen; Loren (Amy) Friedrichsen; Alexander, Thomas, Julia, and Merideth Friedrichsen; 4 great grandchildren: Emma, Jacob, Ella, and Maddie Friedrichsen; also numerous nieces and nephews.