Randy Frieden, 68 of Aledo, died Thursday, April 13, 2023 at his home, surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Tuesday, April 18, at Speer Funeral Home, Aledo. Visitation is 3 to 7 p.m., Monday, at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Mercer County Ag Society or the Frieden Family. The family asks that everyone wear their favorite denim or Frieden Excavating gear for the services.
Randy was born on February 4, 1955, to Lester and Blanche (Terrill) Frieden. He married Brenda Gibson on September 23, 1989, in Muscatine, Iowa.
Randy owned and operated Randy Frieden Excavating. He truly enjoyed his work, and was a self-made man, working hard for everything he had. In his spare time, he enjoyed deer hunting and going to Colorado for elk hunting. In earlier years, he raised calves and put on Jack Pot Team ropings. Randy was a great storyteller, spending hours on the phone with family and friends. He enjoyed the Friday Night Bud Lights and hunting mushrooms. Randy especially loved being Papa to his grandchildren, teaching all of them to ride their bikes and teaching Custer to high five. His favorite hobbies were being ornery and his long, slow story telling.
Those left to cherish Randy’s memory include his wife, Brenda; children, Eric and Sarah Gillespie, Angie and Atti Owen, and Billie Jo and Austin Krueger, all of Aledo; his beloved grandchildren, Grace “Gerty” Gillespie, Alivia “Bob” Gillespie, Trace “Stubby” Zeitler, Ava “Alvie” Zeitler, Claire “Harry” Zeitler, and Carson “Custer” Krueger; a sister, Florence Sell of Eliza; and many nieces and nephews, including, Carlene Sell and Brant, Staci, and Hannah Sell. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Wilbur and Keith; and sisters, Lois and Alta.