In memoriam: Emeritus missionary Mary Evelyn Fredenburg, 97

Mary Evelyn Fredenburg

Mary Evelyn “Mev” Fredenburg, an emeritus International Mission Board missionary who shared the gospel among Sub-Saharan African Affinity Peoples in Nigeria, died Jan. 12, 2020, her 97th birthday, in Cadiz, Kentucky.

She was born Jan. 12, 1923, in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, the daughter of the late David and Mary Davies Fredenburg. In 1936, Mev moved with her family to Orlando, Florida, where she was born again to new life in Christ at the age of 13. When she was a senior in high school, she answered God’s calling to missions.

Mev attended Mars Hill College (now University) and received the Bachelor of Science from Florida State College (now University). She graduated from the nursing school of Southern Baptist Hospital (since merged into Ochshner Medical Center), New Orleans; studied at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; and received the Master of Education from the University of Minnesota.

On April 8, 1947, Mev was appointed a missionary to Nigeria. During her first two years, she taught in Oyo Baptist Boys’ High School and did medical work in Iwo. She served the rest of her 38 years as a missionary to Nigeria as a nurse at Eku Baptist Hospital. For several years, she was also director of the affiliated school of nursing.

Mev also worked with WMU (Woman’s Missionary Union) and GA (now Girls in Actions and Acteens) for several years in various Baptist associations and co-founded Eseroghene Baptist Church.

After her retirement in 1988, Mev moved to Cadiz, where she managed a Christian bookstore, “The Shepherd’s Shop,” for several years.

She is survived by four nieces, four nephews, a brother-in-law, 13 great-nieces and nephews, and six great-great nieces and nephews.

A funeral service was held on Jan. 20, 2020, at Cadiz Baptist Church.

Memorials may be made to Eku Baptist Hospital and School of Nursing in Nigeria, via “Walking in Love Ministries,” P.O. Box 2249, Forney, TX 75126.

Read an obituary here.