Ruby (Oberlitner) Fread (Alternate spelling Oberleitner)

Birth: She was born in Ohio around 1906.  

Family Information: Daughter of Albert J. and Etta Oberlitner.

Sister of Ethel, Beulah, Floyd (who married Beatrice Jensen), Emery, Thelma and Lucille Oberlitner.

Married to Lee Fread before 1928; in April 1928 they welcomed their first son, Emory Lee Fread; on September 7, 1933, another son, Arthur Lee Fread, was also born while the family lived in the colony.  

Description:  

Pre-Colony History: In 1910 she was living in Colorado with her parents and siblings. In 1920 the family was living in Arkansas.  

Home in Colony: In 1933 she and her family lived along what is today known as Pershing St. in New Llano. The couple were waiting to see what effect their beautiful big Rhode Island Reds would have on their garden. The neighbors were betting on the hens unless Lee got practical and clipped their wings.  

Job in Colony: In 1931 she was preparing and serving meals in the hotel dining room.

She was part of the regular kitchen crew in October 1931 led by Anna Raicoff and including Mrs. Bonnie Kemp, Mrs. Thelma Perkins, Bea Jensen, Lucille Oberlitner, Mrs. Ruby Fread, Mrs. Bess Shipman, Mrs. Anna Shutt (sic), and Anton Kurtz who was on the pots. 

Other Info: In 1928, two Ruby's had their first babies. Ruby Oberleitner Fread (Emory) and Ruby Synoground Nesnow (Maurice). It was reported that "each mama named Ruby thinks her baby is the sweetest, cutest baby ever."

In 1934 she, her husband and son, Arthur Lee, were among many other colonists who attended Walter and Ida May Fread's 40th anniversary party which was held in the colony.  

Post-Colony History: In 1929 it was reported that baby Emory Lee Fread had died while the family was living in Toledo, Ohio.

In 1930, she and husband Lee Fread were living in Michigan with Ruby's siblings -- Floyd, Emery and Lucille Oberlitner. Soon after this they returned to the colony for a time.

In 1940 the family was living in Colorado.  

Death: Died in 1982 in Colorado.

Sources: "Vernon Parish Democrat": March 28, 1929; "Llano Colonist": April 7, 1928, April 13, 1929, May 16, 1931, August 22, 1931, October 10, 1931, October 17, 1931, August 6, 1932, April 22, 1933, May 27, 1933 (Story of Llano), September 16, 1933, July 21, 1934; US Census: 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940; FindAGrave.com