Friesen, Bertha Epp (1920-2010)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2010 Sep 20 p. 9

Birth date: 1920 Feb 2

text of obituary:

BERTHA FRIESEN

Bertha (Epp) Friesen, 90, of Henderson, Neb., died Aug. 27, 2010. She was born to Jacob C. and Helen (Dick) Epp on Feb. 2, 1920, two miles south of Henderson on the family farm.

She graduated from Henderson High School in 1938.

Music was her gift. In the sixth grade she was the grade-school accompanist on a pedal organ. In high school she sang in the young women’s quartet. She accompanied many musical groups and played for the church for many years.

She gave her life to Christ as Savior and Lord. She requested baptism in 1940 and became a member of Bethesda Mennonite Church, which she loved and served all her life.

Though she and Elmer Friesen grew up on farms two miles apart, they did not know each other until high school. Two years into high school they began dating and had a long courtship ending in marriage on Sept. 19, 1941. They enjoyed almost 69 years of marriage.

She and Elmer had many similar interests, such as reading, traveling, attending music concerts and going to church conferences. In their many travels, they crossed Mexico from the Gulf to the Pacific Ocean, visiting some Mennonites. Their most enjoyable trip was in 1994 to visit Mennonite colonies in Paraguay.

In 2005 she was confined to a wheelchair after breaking her femur.

Survivors include her husband, Elmer; two sons, E. James Friesen and his wife, Joan, and Phil Friesen and his wife, Sherryl, all of Henderson; a daughter, Sherryl Lantz and her husband, Keith, of Keyport, Wash; seven grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Edwin; and her sister, Esther.