Friesen, Anna Pauls (1898-1960)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Jun 16 p. 8

Birth date: 1898 Oct 10

text of obituary:

MRS. ANNA (PAULS) FRIESEN

Mrs. Anna (Pauls) Friesen, daughter of J. J. and Anna Voth Pauls, was born five miles east of Inman Kan. on Oct 10, 1898. She grew up to young womanhood in the neighborhood, attending Big Lake School and later also attending the Hoffnungsau Preparatory School.

As a young woman she became aware of her lost condition and attended the catechetical instruction class in the Hoffnungsau Church. On May 19, 1918 she was baptized upon the confession of her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour by the Rev. Abram Ratzlaff and received into the membership of the church. Here she remained a member until May 1, 1960, when she joined the Inman Mennonite Church.

Although remaining a member of the Hoffnungsau church until very recently she was always active and faithful in the activities of the Inman Mennonite church ever since 1938, when the family moved into the city of Inman. The work of the Women's Mission society was especially dear to her and she held a perfect record in attendance for a number of years, until her recent illness.

Mother was united in holy matrimony to Peter Friesen on October 28, 1923, with whom she shared life for almost 34½ years until father's sudden departure on February 17, 1958. Four children were born to this happy union, three daughters and one son. In 1930 the parents moved to Dalhart, Texas where they experienced the trials and hardships of the drought and dust for about six years. They then moved back to the Inman community, where they spent the rest of their life.

Mother was a loving mother, was of a quiet but friendly disposition, and always happy to have her family around her in the home. She was concerned about the spiritual welfare of her children. Just before entering the operating room she assured the children that she would be in Heaven in the event that she wouldn't come through the operation. To the doctors and nurses she quoted Ps. 121:1 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord.”

She had enjoyed good health until last January, when she suffered a siege of the flu, which resulted in hospitalization for observation. On May 19 she entered Bethel Deaconess for surgery the following day. Her recovery was satisfactory and she was dismissed from the hospital on May 31 to go to the home of her daughter and family, the Waldo Ennses. She enjoyed her stay and seemed to be doing very well until her unexpected departure to the great beyond about 4:30 a.m. on June 6.

She leaves to mourn her passing her four children, one son, John E. of Kingdom, Kan.; three daughters, Ella Mae and her husband of Inman, Matilda and her husband, Clifton Stout of McPherson, and Betty of the home; three grandchildren, Joan Kay and Kathy Jean Enns and Ricky Gene Stout; her mother, Mrs. Anna Pauls of the Home for the Aged in Inman; seven brothers, Ed., John, Curt, Leonard of Inman, Abe and Alvin of McPherson and Walter of Topeka; one sister Nellie, Mrs. Jake A. Ediger of McPherson; six sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law. Her father, J. J. Pauls, one sister Mary, Mrs. G. B. Martens, and three infant brothers preceded her in death. — The Children.