Friesen, Marie Schmidt (1889-1960)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Mar 3 p. 6

Birth date: 1889 Oct 2

text of obituary:

. . .

— Mrs. Marie Friesen, 70, wife of Rev. Gerh. Friesen, died Saturday evening at the home on East Broadway. Mrs. Friesen had been a partial invalid for several years due to a stroke of paralysis. Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon at the Bethel College church, of which she was a member, Rev. Russell Mast officiating. Surviving in addition to Rev. Friesen are one son, Eric Friesen of Clay Center; one daughter, Mrs. Eldon W. Graber of North Newton; two brothers, three sisters and seven grandchildren.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1960 Mar 10 p. 8

text of obituary:

MARIE SCHMIDT FRIESEN

Marie Schmidt Friesen was born Oct. 2, 1889, on a farm north of Newton, the oldest child of Jacob J. and Maria Becker Schmidt. She was baptized on June 7, 1908, by Rev. H. R. Voth in the Alexanderwohl church and transferred her membership to the Tabor church when it was organized the following year.

In school she was an interested pupil and enjoyed reading all her life. After attending Bethel academy, she taught rural schools for a few terms before she went back to Bethel college as a student. While there she met Gerhard Friesen whom she married on August 25, 1915. They shared life together for more than 44 years and were the parents of two children Eric and Martha.

After further education they went to Canada where Mr. Friesen taught in the Altona Mennonite Educational institute and from there to Meno, Okla., where he taught in the Bible academy. Following this they served together in pastorates at Turpin and Deer Creek, Okla., and Lehigh, Kansas, in which she was a help and inspiration to her husband.

From Deer Creek they went to Bluffton, Ohio, where both attended Witmarsum seminary for three years. They also supplied two different churches for the Congregational denomination during more recent years. In 1937 they joined the Bethel College church while serving on the Bethel College staff, and have lived in Newton since that time except for one year during which they cared for her aged mother on her farm.

She always enjoyed studying, having appreciated especially her studies at the Seminary, so when her children were no longer at home she again attended classes at Bethel college where she graduated in 1940 with a Bachelor of Theology degree. She was a capable Sunday school teacher and taught Sunday school most of her adult life. She also enjoyed teaching Bible study and teacher training classes. During their various pastorates she was an active worker in the Christian Endeavor groups, in vacation Bible school classes, and Bible story hours.

For several years she wrote the C. E. program helps which were printed in “The Mennonite.” She traveled statewide a few years in the interdenominational training program for vacation church school teachers, where her contributions were appreciated. She continued to have an active interest in children and young people, and in the fall of 1952 served the MCC for several months as a teacher in the school at Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico. Following this she again taught a rural school near Newton for one year.

She also served as editor of the German section of the “Missionary News and Notes” for some time and was always an active and interested supporter of mission work, serving as president of the Western District Women's Organization for many years.

All her life has been devoted to giving loving, unselfish service to others wherever she saw a need. Her chief joy and delight lay in bringing happiness to others. “She did what she could.”

Mrs. Friesen suffered a stroke of paralysis on Oct. 14, 1956, after which her activities were limited. She felt it keenly that instead of helping and serving others, she had to be waited on. However, she was grateful for the care of her husband, sister-in-law, and sister which made it possible for her to live in her own home during this time.

Later strokes caused deterioration of mental and physical powers, but her spirit of love and concern for loved ones and friends remained. Her last illness of about two weeks became progressively serious. She died on Saturday, Feb. 27, 1960, at 6 p. m. We rejoice with her that she is now restored to her full capacities and powers in her new life.

The following hold her in loving remembrance: her husband, Gerhard Friesen; her children, Eric Friesen and wife Dorothy, Martha and husband, Eldon Graber; seven grandchildren; brothers and sisters, Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Schmidt, Augusta Schmidt, Mrs. Ernst Peters, Rev. and Mrs. E. E. Frank, Rev. and Mrs. H. F. Schmidt, and Mrs. J. E. Schmidt, aunts and uncles, many nieces and nephews, and a host of friends in many states who remember her.