Heather L. Frederick

Heather L. Frederick, 48, of Marengo, passed away peacefully Sunday, January 8, 2023. She was born May 29, 1974, in Elgin the daughter of Orville Brettman and Sheran (Coose) Rehfeldt. She graduated Huntley High School in 1992 where she was active in sports, student council, and a peer leadership program called snowball that empowers student leaders. She went on to play college basketball at McHenry County College and continued her education at the University of Illinois Chicago and Saint Xavier earning a Bachelors in Kinesiology, and a double master’s in educational leadership along with a type 75 administrative certificate. She was a Physical Education teacher at District 158 for 20 years where she was a team lead and coached boys and girls’ basketball as well as track and field. To know Heather was to love Heather. She radiated a beautiful energy with a passion for empowering others and motivating people to be their best selves. In a prompt from her Mother’s Legacy Journal that asked “How would you like to be remembered? Heather wrote the following: “Inspirational, loving, courageous, smiley, smart, caring, dependable, strong, passionate, happy-go-lucky, carefree, and I loved my children with all my heart!!!” Heather touched the lives of countless people through her involvement with GiveLoveForLife, a non-profit that she co-founded in 2014, health coaching, student mentorship, and her memorable quotes, sayings, and posts that reminded everyone to find joy, create happiness, and above all, love. She married Ryan Frederick on July 5, 2014, in Gatlinburg, TN. Together, they enjoyed an adventurous lifestyle including hiking, the beach life, fitness, and traveling. She was the glue to what Heather called her “Brady Bunch” family. She embodied the definition of a loving mother, wife, sister, daughter, aunt, and new Mimi (grandma). Those that were touched by her understand that her existence and the imprint she left on our hearts exceed the quantity of time she was here on Earth. She is survived by her husband, Ryan; her children, Tory & Haley Ream, Faith & Riley Weiss, and Owen & Ava Frederick; grandchild, Colson Mlachnik; brothers & sisters, Derek (Gina) Brettman, Tiffany Jernigan, Amanda (Tristan) Davis; her father, Orville (Annie) Brettman; and stepfather, Bruce (Jola) Rehfeldt. She is preceded in death by her mother, Sheran. Visitation will be on Sunday, January 15 from 2:30 to 6:30 PM at Harvest Bible Chapel, 1000 N. Randall Rd. in Elgin. An intimate memorial service, open to all, will be held immediately after from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the same location. A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 6 to 8 PM at Heineman Middle School, 725 Academic Dr. in Algonquin. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Give Love for Life, https://www.giveloveforlife.com/ a 501 (3)(c) organization she founded in 2014 to help people in need. Donations will be used to fund a scholarship for a District 158 student in her name.

Heather L. Frederick

May 29, 1974 - January 8, 2023