August 10, 1968 – October 16, 2024
Kristen Marie (Swenson) Fredo, of North Andover, MA, passed away on October 16, 2024, surrounded by loving family, six years after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. She was the loving wife of Scot Fredo for 28 years, and the adoring mother of Madison, Thomas, and Avery Fredo. She is also survived by her parents, Patricia and Michael Schruender, and her brother, Eric Swenson, and numerous loving nieces, nephews, and cousins – many of whom passed through “Auntie Kristen’s daycare” during their childhood. She grew up in Reading, MA and was predeceased by her father, Thomas John Swenson, and her brother, Thomas Patrick Swenson.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Wednesday October 23, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. at Saint Michael Church, 196 Main Street in North Andover. There are no calling hours or burial service, but the family is planning a “Celebration of Life” event for Kristen at a later date and location to be determined.
Although the last six years of Kristen’s life were spent navigating life with cancer, including during a global pandemic, she continued to live with beauty and grace, never complaining, always finding inspiration to focus on the positives, and continuing to support her children’s activities to keep their lives as normal as possible. Her strength and courage were inspiring to her family, friends, and her oncology team at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Kristen wished to be, and is remembered as a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, and friend to so many. She loved all the responsibilities of being a Mom of active children, and for twenty years drove to thousands of hockey practices and games at ice rinks all over New England, hundreds of miles to baseball and lacrosse fields all over the state, and countless hours in dance rehearsals and performances, all to watch Madison, Thomas, and Avery participate in their passions. She was regularly volunteering in their schools as well. She will be greatly missed – especially at family weddings where she would “dance like nobody’s watching” – but always remembered by her loved ones as the strong, brave, sweet, kind, funny, smart, and caring beautiful person that she was. She is unforgettable and irreplaceable and will be talked about and loved by her family and friends forever.
In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in memory of Kristen to support cancer research and patient care at: dana-farber.org/gift
