Friesen, Abraham Penner (1887-1953)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Aug 6 p. 6

Birth date: 1887 Jun 2

text of obituary:

. . .

— Word has been received here of the death of Prof. A. P. Friesen, 66, at Georgetown, Texas on Friday, July 31. Dr. Friesen was professor of chemistry and physics at Bethel College for a number of years, and since 1943 had served on the faculty of Southwestern University at Georgetown. Funeral services were to take place there on Thursday and the body brought to Wichita for burial.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Aug 13 p. 3

text of obituary:

Services Held For Teacher, Scientist

A. P. FRIESEN SERVED ON BETHEL COLLEGE FACULTY FOR 18 YEARS

Georgetown, Texas. — Funeral services for Dr. Abraham P. Friesen, 66, professor of physics at Southwestern University, were held at the Lois Perkins chapel on the university campus Aug. 6. He died of heart failure at a local hospital July 31. The body was sent to Wichita, Kan. for burial.

Dr. Friesen, a native of Steinbach, Manitoba, had been an educator for 47 years, teaching in Manitoba schools until 1923. He was professor of physics at Bethel College, North Newton, Kans. for 18 years, coming to Southwestern in 1943.

In recent years Dr. Friesen had become well known as an authority on liquid metals, contributing frequently to scientific publications and also lecturing to science groups. He was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and other professional organizations. A graduate of Bethel College, he received the Ph.D. degree from the University of Kansas.

Since his residence in Georgetown, Dr. Friesen had been active in the St. John's Methodist church.

Surviving him are his wife, the former Agatha Hamm; one son, Wilfred, also a physicist, of Richland, Wash.; three daughters, Mrs. G. A. Ediger of Appleton, Wis., Mrs. Peter Pankratz of Wichita, Kans., and Mrs. Peter Hooge of Kindersley, Sask.; one brother, five sisters and six grandchildren.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1953 Aug 20 p. 10

text of obituary:

ABRAHAM PENNER FRIESEN

Abraham P. Friesen was born June 2, 1887, near Steinbach, Manitoba, son of Johann Isaac and Helena Penner Friesen; died July 31, 1953, at Georgetown, Texas, age 66 years, one month and 29 days.

He attended southern Manitoba schools and later higher schools of learning in the United States, receiving the B. A. degree from Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas in 1924, the M. A. degree from the University of Colorado in 1928, and the Ph. D. degree from the University of Kansas in 1935.

His marriage to Agatha Hamm took place at Gretna, Manitoba on July 25, 1907.

After he worked as flour mill apprentice and miller for three years, he taught rural school, high school, college, and university for 47 years. He was professor of physics at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas for 18 years and professor of physics at Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas, for ten years, the position he held at the time of his death.

He was a member of American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Physics Teachers, American Physical Society, Optical Society of America, American Council of Mathematics Teachers, Kansas Academy of Science, Texas Academy of Science, and Sigma Xi.

He put his trust in the Lord as his Saviour and was baptized at the age of 19 in the Mennonite church in Gretna, Manitoba. In Georgetown he became a member of St. John's Methodist Church. He was a member of the Church Brotherhood and a former member of the Board of Stewards. He taught in the Sunday schools of the churches he attended for more than 20 years.

The complete biography may be found in “Who's Who in America,” Volume 27, and in “Who's Who in the South and Southwest.”

He is survived by his widow, Agatha, one son, Wilfred of Richland, Washington, three daughters, Mrs. G. A. Ediger of Appleton, Wisconsin, Mrs., Peter Pankratz of Wichita, Kansas, Mrs. Peter Hooge of Kindersley, Saskatchewan; one brother, John P. Friesen of New York City; five sisters, Mrs. Peter Rempel of Fairbury, Nebraska, and Mrs. P. B. Reimer, Mrs. A. A. Reimer, Mrs. George Reimer, and Miss Elizabeth Friesen, all of Steinbach, Manitoba.

There are six grandchildren, Anita, Ronnie, Marilyn and David Pankratz of Wichita, Kansas, John Hooge of Kindersley, Saskatchewan, and Fritz Barnes Friesen of Richland, Washington.