Freya Rose Lopus, 45, of Bradford passed away Oct. 21, 2024, at her home.

She was born May 8, 1979, in Bradford, a daughter of Cheryl R. Lopus and Terry D. Lopus. On Sept. 13, 2008, she married her childhood friend and the love of her life, Jordan Cercone. The couple were married on Prospect Hill in Smethport.

Freya graduated from Bradford High School in June 1997. Following many years of participation in youth softball and the YMCA Barracuda swim team where she set records in the butterfly and individual medley, she went on to earn Varsity Letters at Bradford High School in swimming and cross country. As a member of the outstanding Bradford High girls swim team of the mid- to late 1990s she was a member of accomplished team then referenced as the “Fabulous Freshman Four” and later “Fab Four.” She was a member of the school-record-setting Medley Relay team swimming the butterfly leg as well as the 400 Free Relay team achieving first team All-District for their relay team as well as earning second team All-District for the 100-yard butterfly.

Freya attended Clarion University and graduated from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in April 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts in English. As Freya loved to write; she once received an award for her short story entry in Bailey’s Beads.

She was employed by Bradford Area School District for several years as a substitute teacher as well as Evergreen Elm as a residential program worker. She was employed at the Old Willows Restaurant as a waitress. For several years she loved and enjoyed being a stay-at-home mother and grandmother caring for her daughter, Indra; and nephews, Owen and Matthew; as well as the children of many of her friends. She prided herself on planning full days of lessons, art projects and fun activities. More recently she and her friend Andrea formed the cleaning service MESS SOS striving to please their customers and grow their business.

Freya had a warm and delightful personality, was a beautiful soul and would bring a ray of sunshine to any room or wherever she went. She was truly an unselfish person always willing to share of herself and to assist family and friends with whatever was needed at any time or place.  She loved her dogs and taking walks with Jordan, Indra, her beloved grandson Axel and anyone who would accompany her. She was a lifelong Steeler and Pirate fan and prided herself on growing the most beautiful sunflowers of all varieties. 

As an accomplished softball player, for many years she participated in Bradford Women’s softball with the Gleason Construction-sponsored team going undefeated for three straight years. She enjoyed and was a very accomplished amateur photographer always sharing her photos with family and friends. Freya would often remark and express her appreciation as to how fortunate and blessed she was to have her family, friends and what she had been given in life. It was disconcerting to her if people were unkind to her or when others reached out to teach or talk about another way.

Surviving are her husband of sixteen years, Jordan Cercone of Bradford; daughter, Indra R. Lopus of Bradford; grandsons, Axel, whom she cherished and adored, and now Atlas, whose arrival she anxiously awaited; her mother, Cheryl R. Lopus, father, Terry D. (Melinda) Lopus, and sister, Laura M. (Patrick) Lopus, all of Bradford; parents-in-law Dominic and Patricia Cercone of Bradford; grandmothers, Emily (Robert) Blaske of Allegany, N.Y., and Carol (the late Milton) Lopus of Harrisburg; great-aunt Barbara (the late Walter) Brown of Coudersport; nephews Owen Copeland and Matthew Ludwig of Bradford; brothers-in-law David, Sam and Max Cercone; aunts Vicki (Tom) McCullough of Allegany, Michelle (Billy) Conner of Pittsburgh and Betsy (Neil) Cunningham of Stamford, N.Y.; and uncles Ron (the late Susan) Keim of Smethport and Jeremy Lopus of Harrisburg; as well as many cousins and friends.

Preceding Freya in death were her grandfather, Milton (Carol) Lopus, of Harrisburg; Mike and Joanne Rose, grandparents from Bradford; great-uncle Walter (Barbara) Brown of Coudersport; aunts Susan (Ron) Keim of Smethport and Lisa Ramer of Harrisburg; and uncles Mark (Marianne) Lopus of Bradford and Andrew Lopus of Ludlow.

A private celebration of life with immediate family members and friends was held shortly after Freya’s passing. 

Memorials in memory of Freya may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Freya’s family expresses their profound appreciation and gratefulness for the expressions of love, sympathy and prayers during this time of loss.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Mascho Funeral Home Inc.  

Online condolences can be expressed at www.maschofuneral.com.