John Friesen
Obituary
It is with deep sadness to announce the passing of John Friesen. He left us peacefully on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the age of 92, with his loving wife Mary at his side. He was born on January 3, 1934, to John & Anna Friesen (nee Toews).
He was preceded in death by his parents, John & Anna Friesen, brother Martin, and 7 sisters.
He is survived by his beloved wife Mary of almost 68 years, brothers Peter (Betty), and Martin (Elma).
John hoed many sugar beets and worked on the family farm as a young boy. At the age of 12 his mother passed away and this was a very hard and sad time for him. He missed her immensely and talked about her often. In his last days he said he wanted to go to heaven to see her. Despite this early hardship, his life was filled with purpose and a strong work ethic. At 14 he was asked to come work on the farm of John & Nellie Voth where he developed a deep appreciation for work and Nellie’s unforgettable cooking. This is where he began going to church and later got baptized on his confession of faith in June, 1955, at Niverville Mennonite Church, at 19. John embarked on a new chapter of life and through a friend, John Dyck, was again offered a job at Manitoba Sugar, in Winnipeg. He worked here for 40 years. John made many friends here. Soon after, he bought his first house on Carter Ave. and married Mary Driedger on June 28, 1958, in the Altona EMMC Church. They enjoyed working in Winnipeg and later moved to Steinbach.
They enjoyed 9 years of living at Bridgepark Manor before the final move to Resthaven Care Home.
John was a man of many talents, a gifted handyman, made many clocks from cypress wood he brought back from Florida. These clocks were gifts for special occasions. He found joy in converting new vans into camper vans which he and Mary used to travel to many destinations.
A thank you goes out to all the staff at Resthaven Care Home for the excellent care John received, and to all the friends who came to visit. John’s memory of love and friendship will never be forgotten. You will be missed.
The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB., with viewing one hour prior to the service.
