Friesen, Viola Violet Graber (1908-2008)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2008 Apr 7 p. 9

Birth date: 1908 Dec 19

text of obituary:

VIOLA VIOLET FRIESEN

Viola Violet Friesen, 99, died March 21, 2008, at Sierra View Homes, Reedley, Calif. She was born Dec. 19, 1908, to Ben C. and Lena Schrag Graber in Freeman, S.D.

She was baptized July 26, 1925, at Salem-Zion Mennonite Church near Freeman and dedicated her life to serving others. Her strong desire was to teach children and become a missionary. She graduated from Freeman Academy in 1927 and began teaching in one-room schools before graduating from Freeman Junior College in 1934. She taught elementary school for nine years in the Freeman area.

She graduated from Bethel College, North Newton, Kan., in 1939 and married Arthur Friesen on Aug. 23, 1939.

To prepare for a life of Christian service, they went to Chicago as students at Bethany Biblical Seminary. They were ordained June 14, 1940, at Salem-Zion Mennonite Church. The General Conference Mennonite Church called them to serve as missionaries to the Cheyenne and Arapaho people in Oklahoma, where they served faithfully from 1940 to 1958. She served as a partner in ministry by playing the piano and pump organ for worship, teaching Sunday school, organizing summer Bible schools, conducting retreats for women, preaching occasionally, sewing and cooking for volunteers who often stayed in their home, in addition to raising two sons. She taught fifth grade for two years in Hammon, Okla.

After the family’s move to Reedley, Calif., in 1958, she taught first grade for 12 years and retired in 1969 from Kings River Union School District in Kingsburg. She remained an active member of First Mennonite Church, a volunteer at the “Nearly New” Mennonite Central Committee thrift store and sewed more than 500 tops that were made into knotted comforters for relief. Until age 95, she volunteered and sewed, prayed and cooked, hosted guests in her apartment and wrote letters — an encouragement to many.

Survivors include a son, Richard, and his wife, Dorothy Nickel Friesen, of Newton, Kan.; a brother, LeRoy Graber of Freeman, S.D.; two granddaughters and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur H. Friesen, on March 3, 1995; an infant son; a son, Delbert, on Aug. 2, 2002; two sisters, Olivia Deckert and Albena Deckert; and two brothers, Chris Graber and Ellis Graber.

Memorial services will be held at First Mennonite Church, Reedley.