Frieda's first husband worked for Anhauser Busch. After he died, she remarried. Her second husband worked for Jaccard's Jewelry Co. She has been a full-time homemaker throughout her life, and has never been employed away from home.

Three days each week, Frieda attends a local senior center. On those days, she typically goes to the senior center around 9 or 9:15 in the morning. They play cards until lunchtime. (On Fridays, she goes to the beauty shop first). After lunch, she goes home. She does her own housework, and her favorite pastime activities are watching TV and reading. Frieda has learned to appreciate these two privileges, after having had cataract surgery and retina implant surgeries in both eyes - one in 1977, and the other in 1981.

Frieda is a Catholic, and still attends mass regularly. She describes her health as excellent. "I take one-half blood pressure pill and one Centrum Silver [a multivitamin] every day. I'd say that was pretty good for my age." Frieda drives the 17-mile round-trip to the senior center three days each week. She said, "One of my grandsons told my neighbor to check my driving if he saw me on the road. I told him he had a lot of nerve! But the neighbor did see me driving, and he in fact followed me. I didn't realize he was there (which was probably good), but he went back and told my grandson that I was a good driver."

When asked if she had done anything to prepare herself for a healthy long life, Frieda replied, "Well, from 1962 to 1987, I walked two and one-half miles every day -- five days a week." Frieda reads a lot in her spare time, but does not walk much, because she walks with a cane. She also does not go out much at night because she does not want to become a crime victim. Her grandsons take turns cutting her grass. "Sometimes I sneak in a nap in the afternoons, because I wake up and find my book on the floor." Her advice to other seniors on how to age successfully: "Don't sit at home. Find someplace to go; find something to do. All of my old friends are dead¸ so I've made some good friends up at the senior center."