JOHN R. FRIESEN

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JOHN R. FRIESEN John R. Friesen was born in Gnadenthal, MB on August 24, 1934 to John S. and Mary Sawatsky Friesen, and died at home on March 21, 2011. John spent his early years at Starbuck, MB. Then his family moved to Winkler where his father had a hardware store. John developed a strong work ethic by helping in the store. On March 27, 1950 his mother died at the age of 40, leaving his father with six children. It was a very difficult time as the youngest son was less than a year old. John's father was introduced to a caring, remarkably capable widow, Mary Peters Klassen, who had four young children of her own. Together they created a closely-knit blended family. After completing grade 12, John worked for Atomic Transfer, helping support the family and also saving for college. John married Marian Hildebrand on June 23, 1956 and so began a journey of love and service. He graduated from Canadian Mennonite Bible College in 1957 and earned a BA from Bethel College in Newton, Kansas in 1958. We then moved to Elkhart, Indiana where he completed seminary studies in the spring of 1961. In May 1957 son Thom was born, and in January 1959 Tim joined the family. John chose to engage in voluntary service, so in July 1961 we sailed to Europe to begin a two year assignment with Mennonite Central Committee where John served as PAX Pastor for volunteers across western Europe. During the winter months he taught at the Bienenberg Bible School. We moved to Berlin in fall of 1963 where John studied at the Free University under Prof. Gollwitzer. During this time we became acquainted with the Berlin Mennonite Church, East and West (divided by the Berlin wall). We returned to Winkler, MB in September 1964 where John served as Youth Pastor at the Bergthaler Church. Early in this assignment he received an invitation to provide leadership for the Berlin Mennonite Church. In April 1966 we moved back to Berlin and our life in the Cold War arena began. The learning experience was invaluable. During this time, in 1969, we added four and a half year old Lois Rebecca Huong from Vietnam to our family. After 10 years of service we returned to Winnipeg where John served as pastor of Home Street Mennonite Church for six years. In January 1984 we moved to St. Catharines, ON, where John served the St. Catharines United Mennonite Church until December 1991. At that time he accepted a call to join the staff at First Mennonite Church in Winnipeg until retirement in 1999. John so enjoyed his work that during retirement he provided interim ministry in Germany, Winkler, and River East Menno in Winnipeg. He also served on numerous church related boards. Whether in gardening, hospitality or working with people, John approached life with great enthusiasm. John is survived by his wife, Marian, son Thom and Carmen, son Tim wife Connie, chosen daughter Lois husband Dave Smith, grandchildren and great-grandchildren; also sister Martha (Cornel), brothers Jay (Katherine), Menno (Noelle), Frank (Bev), George (Sheri), Dan (Lynn), sister Grace (Dave), brother Ted, brother-in-law Eric (Joyce); many nieces and nephews; his aunts Helene Sawatzky Neufeld, Marie, Marge and Kay Friesen. John was predeceased by his birth mother in 1950, sister Linda and her husband Henry in 1971, niece Leanne in 1983, sister Rose in1985, father in 1995 and mother in 2007. A celebration of John's life will be held at First Mennonite Church on April 2, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Cremation has taken place. Flowers are gratefully declined. Donations may be made to Mennonite Central Committee, 134 Plaza Dr., Winnipeg, or to CancerCare Manitoba, 675 McDermot Ave., Winnipeg for pancreatic cancer research.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 29, 2011