Fredrick Edward McNaughton, 78, of La Crosse died April 4, 2022, at Brookdale Middleton Stonefield Facility in Middleton, Wis.
Fred was born to Richard and Dorothy (Catt) McNaughton on June 24, 1943, in Durand, Wis. He was the second of six children. The family lived on a farm in the Eau Galle area, raising pigs, chickens, and crops plus milking cows.
In 1961, he graduated from Durand High School, where he was active in the high school sports of football, basketball, and baseball.
Fred joined the Navy in 1961 at 17 years of age. His Dad had to sign for him to enlist. His Navy training took him to San Diego and Rhode Island, where he served on the USS Ingraham. The ship toured through the Mediterranean Sea, through the Suez Canal, to Pakistan. On the return trip, his ship was involved in the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. He left the Navy in 1964.
Fred attended college in River Falls and Stout in Menomonie, Wis. He drove semi for Knutson trucking in Red Wing before landing a trucking job at Vel-tex/Hawkins Chemical in St. Paul, Minn. He retired in 2003 after 30 years with the company.
Fred met Barbara Tonn at Stout, and they married April 20, 1968, in Norwalk, Wis., at St. Jacob’s Ev. Lutheran Church. They were 16 days shy of their 54th anniversary at his death.
Fred and Barb lived in a Minneapolis apartment for a year, and then moved to another apartment in St. Paul off I-35, where it snowed inside. In 1971, they bought a house in White Bear Lake and lived there for 41 years. It was here that daughter, Emily, was born in September 1972 and son, Matthew, in November 1975. Fred and Barb moved to La Crosse in 2012 to be closer to Emily, Matt and the grandchildren.
Fred was a member of Christ Ev. Lutheran Church in North St. Paul. He was a councilman for a time and was involved with church youth activities. Fred now belongs to St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Barre Mills, Wis., where he was a part of the men’s fellowship.
Fred loved to watch the kids and grandkids play sports. He was a youth baseball and football coach for Matt and a softball coach for Emily. Fred loved to watch sports on television, his favorite being the Packers.
Fred loved to hunt, fish, play cribbage, golf and read western novels. Vacationing around the country and world and trips to visit friends and relatives added to his love of life.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Richard and Dorothy (Catt) McNaughton, and his sister-in-law, Patricia (Anderson) McNaughton
Surviving him are his wife, Barbara; his daughter, Emily (Jason Knott) Kendall, Kamryn, Karsyn, and Anthony Knott; his son, Matthew, Jessica (Mellor), Mara, and Cole McNaughton; his brothers, Peter (Susan), Daniel, Arthur (Sandra), and Neil (Patricia) McNaughton; his sister, Sarah (Robert Bennett); and nephews, nieces, and friends.
A Memorial Service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 23, at St. John Ev. Lutheran Church, W3569 County Hwy. M, La Crosse, WI 54601. Pastor Andrew Schultz will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery with military honors.
Relatives and friends are invited for a time of visitation on Saturday at the church from 9 a.m. until the time of the service.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Vets Helping Vets at https://nvf.org/veterans-donations/
The Sonnenburg Family Funeral Home in Tomah is assisting the family. Online condolences can be offered by visiting www.sonnenburgfamilyfh.com.
