Peter H. L. Friesen
Obituary
Peter H. L. Friesen age 79, passed away peacefully at Rest Haven Care Home in Steinbach, at 8:20 a.m. on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. He was born on April 9, 1946, in Mexico to his parents Henry & Anna Friesen.
He was baptized upon the confession of his faith in 1966 and then married the love of his life Maria Voth on October 2, 1966, in Mexico and they shared 47 years together.
He is survived by his children, Henry (Helena), Frank (Anna), Cornie (Kathy), Peter (Becky), Walter (Eva), Willie (Martha), Martha (Tim), Lena (Frank), 39 grandchildren, and 44 great-grandchildren, one brother and four sisters.
Their lives were not always easy in Mexico, so they decided to make the long journey to Canada in March 1994 with their family, where he began his work career in construction for a few years and then later moved to Steinbach where he began to work for Steinbach Hatchery until the age of 60 and then retired.
He loved fishing and telling stories, talking farming and tractors, old trucks and horses were always a part of every conversation, and on June 17, Rest Haven put on an old car show that he attended with Martha and Lena, Willie and Martha, and his two grandsons Jayden and Owen. He really enjoyed that. Especially in the last years he loved spending time with family and friends. He often went to visit his children, and all those visits and phone calls will be forever missed. When he moved to Rest Haven last year, when the children came they always were greeted with a smile and a wave, and we all knew to always have a Tim Hortons Double Double in hand. Lunch specials at Roccos were always a hit with him and was thrilled that he again could have his “huns Broden” as he would call it. So thank you Roccos, for serving our dad chicken and fries for the last few years.
In 2022 he was diagnosed with Dementia, which then very quickly became clear that he could no longer drive or take care of himself and then he moved to Greendale Estate in Grunthal. A year later he moved to Rest Haven in Steinbach and loved it so much. Thank you, Rest Haven Staff, for your outpouring of love towards our dad in his final year of life, you guys truly became family to him and to us.
He was predeceased by his wife Maria, his daughter Helena (infancy), his daughter Esther (in a tragic accident), four grandbabies, and one great-grandson, his parents, one brother, and one sister.
We, the Friesen Family, would also like to thank each and every one that came to visit our dad. He loved and appreciated each and every one he received.
Thank you for all the prayers and support that we all received during this difficult time and a very special thank you again to the staff at Rest Haven. Your generosity will never go unnoticed. Thank you to the Church, Bishop Dave Penner and all the serving ladies, song leaders, and to anyone that we may have missed. We appreciate you all.
The funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., at Reinland Mennonite Church, 29087 216 Pr, Grunthal, MB., with viewing one hour prior to the service. Interment to follow at the Reinland Mennonite Church Cemetery.
