Friesen, John Z. (1922-1957)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 May 2 p. 3

Birth date: 1922 Feb 9

text of obituary:

Illinois Farmer Killed, Two Children Injured

COLLISION NEAR EUREKA CLAIMS LIFE OF JOHN Z. FRIESEN, 35

Eureka, Ill. — The collision of two cars at a rural intersection northeast of here April 23 claimed the lives of the two drivers and injured two children, one seriously.

Killed were John Z. Friesen, 35-year-old farmer here, and Miss Mary Ellen Moser, 64, of Roanoke. Two of Mr. Friesen's children who were riding with him were injured. Two-year-old Gwendolyn has been released from the hospital, while Howard, a kindergarten pupil, is in Methodist Hospital, Peoria, with a fractured leg and possible internal injuries. At last report he was improving.

Funeral services for Mr. Friesen were conducted Friday forenoon at the Roanoke Mennonite Church, of which he was a member. Miss Moser was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church of Roanoke.

Mr. Friesen, a native of Meade, Kan., is survived by his wife and four children, the youngest six weeks old.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1957 Jun 6 p. 10

text of obituary:

JOHN Z. FRIESEN

John Z. Friesen, son of Jacob R. and Kathryn Classen Friesen, was born Feb. 9, 1922, at Meade, Kansas and went to be with his Lord April 23, 1957, at the age of 35 years, two months and 14 days. Death came following an auto accident.

He graduated from Meade Bible Academy at Meade, Kansas and was attending Tabor College at Hillsboro, Kansas when he entered CPS, serving for three years in California, Oregon and Virginia. Immediately following his discharge he volunteered for three years of service in China under the Mennonite Central Committee. these years were especially dear to him and on several occasions when his life was in danger in the communist area he experienced real peace of God.

On Feb. 9, 1950, he was married to Mildred Garber of Eureka, Ill. and they spent seven happy years together, residing in the Eureka community.

At the age of15 he took Christ as his Saviour and looked forward to the time when this vile body would be changed into one like Christ's. He was a member of the Roanoke Mennonite Church at the time of his death.

Besides his wife Mildred and four children, Jay age six, Howard, three and one-half, Gwendolyn, two, and Rachel, six weeks, he leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob R. Friesen of Meade, Kansas and the following brothers and sisters: Margaret, Ben, Jake, Cornie, Anna and Henry of Meade, Kansas, Susie of Eureka, Elizabeth of Henderson, Neb., Pete of Africa and Isaac of Edinburg, Texas.