Frederick Rickleff

Stoughton- The Rev. Frederick Louis Rickleff, age 97, died on Sunday, October 21, 2018 at Skaalen. He was born August 9, 1921 in Crawford County, the son of Louis E. and Julia (Schwert) Rickleff, was baptized on November 13, 1921 in the Prairie du Chien Evangelical Church, and grew up in Rockford, IL where he graduated from High School. In high school years Fred was active, and much influenced, by the Sky Pilots class in the church of which he was a member, State Street Evangelical Church in Rockford. He graduated from IL Institute of Technology in Chicago with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, and Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, IL with a B.D.
In 1947 Fred was received as an elder, Ordained Pastor, in the Evangelical Church, now the United Methodist Church. Churches he pastored as a member of what is now the Northern Illinois Conference include: Belvidere, Orangeville and Afolkey; Elmhurst, a larger parish (composed of Pearl City, Van Brocklin, Kent, Willow); and Schaumburg. For eight years he served on the Research Bureau of the Church Federation of Greater Chicago, and was a member of the Religious Research Assoc. Fred retired in 1987. At the time of his death he was a member of the Charge Conference of Stoughton United Methodist Church.
In 1967 he married Doris E. Hoel of Stoughton. His previous marriage was to Donna Maude Sunday until they divorced in 1966. Children of that marriage are Charlotte Dorothea Saponas and Lynne Merie Miguel. There are three grandchildren, Robert and Jennifer Saponas and Nola Miguel Doll. Fred is survived by his daughters; grandchildren; and three great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris; and two brothers, Clarence and Lester.
Fred's goal for ministry was that "God was in Christ reconciling the world to God." He endeavored to live, so far as he was able, by God's grace in the spirit of Jesus Christ.
Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM on November 3, 2018 at Skaalen Chapel, 400 N. Morris Street, Stoughton. Light refreshments will follow. Friends may greet the family from 1:00 PM until the time of services. Memorial gifts may be made to Skaalen Home Benevolent Fund.
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Cress Funeral Service
206 W. Prospect Street
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 873-9244