Friesen, J. John (1883-1972)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1972 Aug 3 p. 11

Birth date: 1883 Jul 4

text of obituary:

J. JOHN FRIESEN

I was born July 4, 1883, in my parental home nine miles northeast of Mountain Lake, Minn. My parents were Jacob and Helena (Penner) Friesen. In this home, and on the goodly acres that surrounded it, I grew up. The spirit and atmosphere of the home, and living on a bountiful farm, were shaping influences of my early years.

At the age of 20, June 21, 1903, I was baptized by Elder H. H. Regier, and became a member of Bethel Church in Mountain Lake. This membership was never broken.

My formal schooling I received in the local schools, at Bethel College, and the University of Minnesota. Then followed years of teaching at Freeman Junior College.

On Sept. 1, 1915, I was married to Mary Hiebert, the daughter of Gerhard and Gertrude (Nickel) Hiebert. Two children came into our home, Magdalen and Willard. After 18 years of wedded life, the guardian and mother of our home was unexpectedly taken from us. Nine years later Mary Rempel, of Newton, Kan. came to grace our home. At this time we live in our country home, which we had built some years earlier, near Butterfield. We love country life.

At this writing, I am 87; life seems amazingly short. For the rest I trust the Grace of God.

Added by the family:

Our husband and father died on the morning of June 5 after a short illness. He is survived by his widow, Mary (Rempel) Friesen of Butterfield, Minn., his daughter Magdalen of North Newton, Kan., his son Willard of Butterfield, his daughter-in-law Helen (Wiebe) Friesen and three grandsons.

Dad's life wielded a wide circle of influence through his profession as a teacher and also through his interest and work in the field of Mennonite history. He is the author of "An Outline of Mennonite History" as well as several other publications, the last of which is "About Our Past."

The Mennonite obituary: 1972 Aug 22 p. 496