Friesen, Mary Rempel (1890-1987)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1987 Sep 24 p. 8

Birth date: 1890 Nov 1

text of obituary:

NEWTON & VICINITY

. . .

● Graveside services for Mary Rempel Friesen, 96, of Bethel Home for Aged, Newton, were held Sept. 19 at Haven of Rest Cemetery, Hillsboro. Later that day memorial services were held at First Mennonite Church, Newton, with Floyd Bartel officiating. A native of Hillsboro, she died Sept. 16 at the home. She lived in Newton from 1936 to 1942 and in Mt. Lake, Minn., from 1942 to 1973, when she moved to Newton. Survivors include a stepson, Willard Friesen of Butterfield, Minn.; one sister, Ella McLees of LaMesa, Calif.; one foster-daughter, Justina Neufeld of Newton; three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Her husband, J. John, preceded her in death in 1972.

Transcribed by Ralph Shetler, Oregon

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1987 Oct 22 p. 11

text of obituary:

MARY REMPEL FRIESEN

Mary Rempel Friesen was born Nov. 1, 1890, in the Brudertal community near Hillsboro, Kan., to Jacob and August Ewert Rempel. She died Sept. 6, 1987, at the age of 96.

On June 8, 1908, she was baptized by Elder William Ewert, her uncle, and received as a member in the Brudertal church.

In September 1918, a year after the death of her father, she and her mother moved to Hillsboro. In February 1936, after the death of her mother, she made her home in Newton, where she joined First Mennonite Church.

On Nov. 15, 1942, she was married to J. John Friesen, of Butterfield, Minn. She transferred her church membership to Bethel Mennonite Church, Mt. Lake, Minn.

When she moved to Minnesota she exchanged city life for country life, which she had learned to love in her early years, and she loved it still. She enjoyed gardening, dong creative things with her hands and visiting with her many nieces and nephews.

Her husband died in June 1972. In 1973 she returned to Newton and, because of illness, soon moved into the Bethel Home for the Aged. She again joined First Mennonite Church.

She is survived by a stepson, Willard Friesen of Butterfield, Minn.; a sister, Ella McLees of La Mesa, Calif.; three grandsons, eight great-grandchildren and Julie Neufeld, who lived with the family for a number of years after immigrating to America from Russia.