Friesen, Arthur Henry (1907-1995)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1995 Mar 16 p. 10

Birth date: 1907 Nov 12

Text of obituary:

ARTHUR H. FRIESEN

Arthur Henry Friesen, oldest son of David and Anna Ensz Friesen, was born Nov. 12, 1907, near Lehigh, Kan. In 1923, after several years in Idaho, the family relocated to Reedley, Calif.

Art graduated from Bethel College, North Newton, Kan., where he met his future wife, Viola Graber. They were accepted as missionary candidates with the General Conference Mennonite Church. After their marriage in 1939 in her hometown of Freeman, S. D., they moved to Chicago, where he attended Bethany Biblical Seminary.

In 1940 they moved to western Oklahoma, where they were missionaries to the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians for 18 years. During that time their two sons, Delbert and Richard, were born. These years in Oklahoma were rewarding, including ministries of preaching, church building, hospitality and program development.

In 1958 the family moved back to Reedley. Art taught fifth grade in Parlier until his retirement in 1970. For the next year and a half they were part of a voluntary service unit in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Art was a 70-year member of First Mennonite Church of Reedley. He served for nine years on the local Commission on Aging, the last four as chairman, seven years on the board of Sierra View Homes and for many years as a volunteer treasurer for the local Mennonite Central Committee gift shop. He was chosen Reedley's Senior Citizen of the Year in 1985. In 1991 they moved to Sierra View Homes, where he lived until his death March 3, 1995.

Art is survived by Viola, his wife of 55 years; two sons, Delbert of Spokane, Wash., and Richard and wife Dorothy of Elkhart, Ind.; two granddaughters, three brothers, Willard of Dinuba, Calif., Alvin of Reedley and Elmer of Portland, Ore. A sister, Linda Hinamon, preceded him in death.

Services were held at First Mennonite Church of Reedley. Memorial gifts are for the Mennonite Indian Leaders Council (GC) or Sierra View Homes of Reedley.

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The Mennonite obituary: 1995 Apr 11 p. 19

Text of obituary:

Arthur H. Friesen, First Church, Reedley, Calif., died March 3 at age 87. He served under the General Conference's Board of Foreign Missions from 1940 to 1958, working with Native people in Oklahoma.