Background
Frelich was born in Devils Lake, North Dakota, to deaf parents Esther (née Dockter) and Phillip Frelich, and was the eldest of nine siblings (all deaf).
Frelich was born in Devils Lake, North Dakota, to deaf parents Esther (née Dockter) and Phillip Frelich, and was the eldest of nine siblings (all deaf).
She attended North Dakota School for the Deaf, graduating in 1962, and then went on to study at Gallaudet College (now known as Gallaudet University), a school for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Frelich attended the North Dakota School for the Deaf and Gallaudet College. At the latter she completed a degree in library science, but also participated in theater.
lieutenant was at Gallaudet that she was seen performing by David Hays, one of the founders of the National Theater of the Deaf, who asked her to join the theater company. Frelich originated the leading female role in the Broadway production of Children of a Lesser God, written by Mark Medoff. Frelich later starred in other plays written by Medoff, including The Hands of Its Enemy and Prymate.
On the original air date of February 9, 1985, she appeared as a guest on Gimme A Break! – "The Earthquake" – Season 4, Episode 19.
Frelich appeared in the recurring role of Sister Sarah on Santa Barbara. Her last acting role was in an episode of Computer Society of India: Crime Scene Investigation in 2011.
Frelich died on April 10, 2014 at her home in Temple City, California at the age of 70 on April 2014 from progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare degenerative neurological disease for which there are no treatments. News of her death broke on the Deaf West Theater Facebook page.
The post honored Frelich for "paving so many roads foreign
A leading light of our community has been lost, and we mourn deeply. Our thoughts are with her family.".
Member Actors Equity Association, National Association Deaf.
Married Robert Steinberg, May 17, 1968. Children: Reuben, Joshua.