Anne Friesen

The sojourn of life ended peacefully for Anne Friesen on May 17, 2016 after 96 years, 4 months and 13 days. Anne passed peacefully on to her heavenly home and into the arms of Christ her Savior with family by her side at the Cypress Regional Hospital, to which she had come from her home at Cypress House just eight days previous. Anne’s life journey began on January 4, 1920 in the Mennonite colony of Zagradovka, in what is now the Ukraine. She was the first of six children born to Jacob P & Elizabeth (nee Martens) Koop. Anne, along with her parents and siblings, Jake and Betty, fled to Canada for their safety in the fall of 1925. Eventually they settled on a farm just south-west of Blumenort, Saskatchewan. There, being the oldest child, Anne worked hard to help the family survive the Depression and ultimately build up a successful farm operation. The highlight of life for Anne was the Mennonite Brethren Church in the village of Blumenort. Anne loved the music and as soon as she was allowed she became a member of the church choir. This love of music never left her, and her kitchen was always filled with the sound of her beautiful voice as she sang the hymns that were embedded deep in her heart. These hymns were central to her life, not only because of her love for music, but also because they spoke of Jesus, the Son of God, whom she had accepted as her Saviour at a very young age. This devotion to Christ and the church became the hallmark of the family she raised with her husband, John. Anne married John Friesen on October 26, 1941 and together they raised four daughters and one son. Anne was an able helpmate to John as they built up their farm at Blumenort. She milked cows, fed pigs, raised chickens, made sure the larder was full of meat they butchered, and produce she raised in the garden. The kitchen often smelled of fresh bread made with home rendered lard and flour from the mill. She worked hard to provide for her family. Work never got in the way of her commitment to bring the children to Sunday school and church. She was instrumental in the establishment of a Sunday school at Flowerville School after the M.B. church in Blumenort was closed. Later, she served as Sunday School Superintendent at the Christian Fellowship Church in Rhineland for more than 25 years. She loved to hear the children sing and taught them many choruses, which she still loved to sing in her twilight years. In the fall of 1983, John and Anne moved from Blumenort to Swift Current. John continued to farm while Anne enjoyed a respite from the many years of hard toil on the farm, and focussed on some of the other passions in her life. Anne had great sense of fashion and loved to shop for bargains, especially for her grandchildren. She made sure the girls had the best dresses for Christmas and Easter, seeing them in church “dressed to the nines” gave her great joy. Anne also loved reading, as learning was an unending pleasure for her. She was sorry she had only been able to receive her grade ten education and made up for it by reading everything she could lay her hands on. Her special love was missionary biographies, and this was the topic of many conversations in her home. These passions are now left for her to pursue in heaven, Anne leaves to mourn her children, Lorna Earl, Linda (David) Niessen, Rhonda (Brian) Graham, Roxanne (Tim) Graham, and Donald (Charlotte) Friesen; her many grandchildren; her great-grandchildren; one great- great-grandchild; and by her brother, John Koop, and her sister, Hilda Friesen. Anne was predeceased by her husband, John Friesen; by two sons-in-law, Johnny Unrau and Murray Earl; her parents, Jacob & Elizabeth Koop; and by her brother, Jake Koop, and sisters, Betty Peters and Martha Anderson. 

The Funeral Service for Mrs. Anne Friesen of Swift Current will take place on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., from the Trailview Alliance Church in Swift Current with Pastor Mike Smart officiating. The Private Family Interment Service for Anne Friesen will take place at the Hillcrest Cemetery in Swift Current. For those wishing, donations to the Samaritan’s Purse would be appreciated by the family.

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