WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
LANDON HAFEN & WANDA GRAF FREI
(farmer, produce salesman)
BIOGRAPHY
Landon Hafen Frei was born in Howell, Box Elder County, Utah on January 19, 1916. His nickname was Buck.He was raised in Dixie. He started farming with his father at the age of 14. Landon graduated from Dixie High
School and attended one year at Dixie College.
Wanda Graf was born in Santa Clara on May 3, 1916.
Landon and Wanda were married in Pioche, Lincoln County, Nevada on October 16, 1936. They were sealed
in the St. George Temple on February 27, 1988.
In 1955, they purchased a small farm and began raising fruits and vegetables. Landon made his living from
hauling produce to Panaca and Caliente in Nevada twice a week for about 36 years. He also at one time took
produce to the CCC camps, Pioche in Nevada, and Enterprise, Utah. His kids enjoyed summer time trips going
with him on the truck to deliver produce.
In 1956, Landon & Wanda set up a card table in their front yard and began selling their apples to the travelers
on old Highway 91. This was the beginning of the iconic Frei's Fruit Market. Business was so good, they leased
space in Cecil Frei's fruit stand for a year and then built a fruit stand on their own property.
Landon was an active member of the Elks, a vice president of the Washington County Cattlemen's
Association, and was on the Santa Clara Town Board.
Landon died in St. George on October 30, 2011 and was buried on November 3 in Plot W12 of the
Santa Clara City Cemetery.
Wanda died in Santa Clara on October 26, 2014 and was buried on November 3, in the
Santa Clara City Cemetery.
FAMILY
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Landon's Parents and Siblings:
Vivian Jacob Frei Jessie Lenora Hafen Frei Landon Hafen Frei Howard Vivian Frei Shelby Dean Frei Victor Russell Frei Dorothy Frei Phyllis Frei |
(2/8/1893-11/3/1991) (married 6/2/1914) (8/3/1893-11/15/1953) (1/19/1916-10/30/2011) (married Wanda Graf) (3/19/1920-8/11/2013) (married Ora Nell De Lange) (11/16/1921-3/13/2019) (married Jewell Gubler) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Gwendolyn Kemp) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Denzil Lloyd Lightner) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Philip Norton) |
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Wanda's Parents and Siblings: John Henry Graf Josephine Tobler Graf Neola Graf Marvin Henry Graff Verle Clair Graf Wanda Graf Beulah Graff Marion Jacob Graf Glendon Tobler Graff Elaine Graff |
(10/4/1886-12/6/1963) (married 6/23/1909) (1/31/1888-8/6/1939) (9/18/1910-8/6/1912) (12/31/1911-8/24/1972) (married Mary Alice Glen) (11/7/1913-9/26/1975) (married Dorothy Larson) (5/3/1916-10/26/2014) (married Landon Hafen Frei) (11/26/1918-1/24/2014) (married James Monroe Sammons and Eugene McAllister) (2/14/1921-11/24/2000) (married Beulah Smith) (6/15/1923-10/1/2005) (married Dorothy Bastian) (5/13/1927-2/28/2018) (married Gerald Fielding Green and Jack Dewane Seegmiller) |
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Landon & Wanda's Family: Landon Hafen Frei Wanda Graf Frei Alica Frei Loretta Frei Vicki Frei Dennis Frei Bryce Frei |
(1/19/1916-10/30/2011) (married 10/16/1936) (5/3/1916-10/26/2014) (1/7/1937-1/7/1937) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Adams) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Lasswell) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/xxxx) (married Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx) (xx/xx/xxxx-xx/xx/1956) (married Kalyn Sasse) |
PHOTOS
WCHS photos:WCHS-03155 Photo of Loretta Frei Adams with examples of Swiss paper cutting
WCHS-03157 Photo of Wanda Frei doing Swiss paper cutting
WCHS-04491 Photo of Landon Frei on a horse
WCHS-04492 Photo of Landon Frei on a Farmall tractor
WCHS-04493 Photo of Landon Frei standing with a shovel on his farm
WCHS-04494 Photo of Landon Frei on his farm with young ???
WCHS-04495 Photo of Landon & Wanda Frei in front of Frei's Fruit Market
WCHS-04501 Photo of young Landon Hafen Frei with his mother, Jessie Lenora Frei Hafen
WCHS-04504 Photo of Landon Frei loading produce in the warehouse by the old Santa Clara Merc
WCHS-04760 Photo of Arlo Hafen, Victor Frei, and Landon Frei after hunting pheasants
REFERENCES
A Brief History of Wanda Frei's Early LifeBy Wanda Frei
Whims Of Weather Irk Fruit Growers
Article in The Deseret News, April 29, 1967, Page 10A
Landon Frei with a Giant Deer Head
Photo and caption in The Washington County News, October 16, 1980
Washington County growers seek "Home Grown Quality"
Article with a photo of Landon and caption in the
Washington County Fair newspaper, August 9-11, 1984, Page 13
Frei's celebrate 50th anniversary
Chamber to honor Frei at banquet
Article in The Spectrum?, January ??, 1992
Celebrating 75 Years: Couple credits working side by side for a happy marriage.
Article by Lisa Larson, The Spectrum & Daily News, October 30, 2011
My Father
A book by Loretta Frei Adams of Landon Frei gardening photos, 2007
Unfinished hand-written history of ???
by Wanda Frei
FamilySearch entry for Landon Hafen Frei
Obituary for Landon Hafen Frei, 2011
Find-A-Grave entry for Landon Hafen "Buck" Frei
FamilySearch entry for Wanda Graf
Obituary for Wanda Graf Frei
Find-A-Grave entry for Wanda Graf Frei