Fred was born Oct. 27, 1937, to John A. and Emma (Groop) Geranen in Frederick. He was raised on the family farm and went to school in the Frederick area and graduated from Northern State University in 1971. Fred served in the U.S. Army from 1957 until his honorable discharge in 1958. He married Juanita Bonde Dahl on Dec. 26, 1958, in Aberdeen. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service as the superintendent of postal operations in Aberdeen on Oct. 1, 1992.
Fred was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Aberdeen, a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge (Aberdeen No. 38 and Custer No. 66), a 33 degree Mason with the Scottish Rite (Aberdeen), a Past Associate Guardian of Job's Daughters in both Aberdeen and Custer, a member of the Custer Friendship Chapter, O.E.S. and a Past Potentate of Yelduz Shrine Temple in Aberdeen. Upon completing his term as Potentate, Fred and Nita retired to Custer. He was a member of the Custer Community Church, the Custer City Masonic Lodge and a member of the Naja T's in Custer. During the summers, he worked for the Custer State Park Resort Company at Sylvan Lake and the Blue Bell Resort.
Fred is survived by his wife, Juanita "Nita," of Custer; two sons, Gary (Barbara) Geranen of Ladysmith, Wis., and Jon (Marie) Geranen of Waukee, Iowa; two daughters, Cheryl Smith of Custer and Lisa (Jim) Lee of Aberdeen; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Betty Schmich of Portland, Ore., and Carol Rozelle of Concord, Calif.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Fred spent many years of his life in service to others and will be dearly missed by many. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Shriner's Hospital for Children or the Custer Community Church Building Fund.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 4, 2013, at the Custer Community Church, with Pastor Bill Comfort officiating.
Arrangements have been placed in the care of McColley's Chapel of the Hills in Custer. Written condolences may be made at mccolleyschapels.com.