Friesen, John E. (1920-2009)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2009 Sep 7 p. 13

Birth date: 1920 Mar 16

text of obituary:

JOHN E. FRIESEN

John E. Friesen, 89, died July 31, 2009, at the California Armenian Home in Fresno, Calif., due to complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was born on March 16, 1920, to Cornelius B. and Suzanna Friesen in Dallas, Ore.

Raised in a Dallas Mennonite church, he felt the call to ministry at the age of 14, but he could not pursue ministerial training after high school because he was frozen to his job as a machinist when the U.S. entered World War II. When drafted he entered Civilian Public Service, where he served for two years working with fire suppression teams in Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park, and preparing food in a Veterans Administration hospital in Livermore, Calif.

He married Anne Miriam Schultz on June 17, 1945.

After World War II, he pursued his education at Multnomah School of the Bible, during which time he also founded a church in Manning, Ore. He continued his studies at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan., where he directed a choir and where he and Anne served as house parents for students; and at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, where he pastored the Los Angeles Mennonite Brethren Church. After receiving his master of divinity degree from Fuller, he served California MB churches in Dinuba, Bakersfield, Lodi and Arleta, and then spent seven years in British Columbia as pastor in Chilliwack and Dawson Creek.

As their ministry developed, he and Anne continued to be interested in God’s work throughout the world. They led seven groups to Israel to visit biblical sites and missionaries in the area, and 18 tours to other missionary destinations and historic Christian sites. Serving as a pastor in eight churches over 45 years, he spread the good news and displayed the compassion and the mercy of our Lord.

Survivors include his wife, Anne; three children, James, Steven and Lois; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.