Friesen, John R. (1886-1969)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1969 Mar 20 p. 7

Birth date: 1886

text of obituary:

Pioneer Saskatchewan Farmer, Pastor Dies

Saskatoon, Sask. — Funeral services for Rev. John R. Friesen, 83, pioneer farmer and pastor of the Tiefengrund district, were conducted at the Rosenort Mennonite Church there on March 3. He died at the farm home on Feb. 27 after some years of failing health.

A native of Vogtei, West Prussia, he came to Tiefengrund, Northwest Territories at the age of nine with his parents. Rev. Abraham and Margaret Friesen. When the Rosenort Church built a meeting house at Tiefengrund in 1910, he became the first Sunday school superintendent. In 1929 he was ordained to the ministry, and served in that capacity for 33 years. He also farmed in the Laird district.

Survivors include his widow, Wanda, 13 children and 28 grandchildren. A son, Robert, is a senior ministerial student at Bethel College in Kansas and has accepted a call to the pastorate of the Tiefengrund Church, beginning this summer.