Friesen, Cornelius M. (1893-1979)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1979 July 6 p. 34

Birth date: 1893 Jan 03

text of obituary:

CORNELIUS M. FRIESEN

Cornelius Martin Friesen of Vancouver, B.C. passed away on May 21. He was born to Martin and Helena Friesen on January 3, 1893 in Burwalde, Russia. During his early childhood his father died. His mother remarried and moved to Gregorjewka. In 1918 Cornelius married Maria Guenther, and in Russia their union was blessed with three daughters. The Friesens moved to Canada in 1924, after which four more were added to the family. They lived in Heuboden, Manitoba before settling on a farm in the Prairie Rose area.

Cornelius accepted the Lord as his personal Saviour in 1926 and on August 9, 1929 was baptized and received into the fellowship of the Mennonite Brethren Church in Niverville. In 1944 he sold the farm and moved his family to Yarrow, B.C. Six years later they took up permanent residence in Vancouver. Here Cor nelius worked at several jobs, but poor health forced him into an early retirement. In 1975 he was admitted in to Menno Hospital for treatment of a stroke, and lived there until he died. His family remembers him as a loving husband and father, and a positive influence to his children and grandchildren. He is survived by his loving wife Maria, one son, six daughters, four sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and one sister.