Willard Friesen, 90, of Mountain Lake, Minn., died on Sunday (Feb. 27, 2011) at Good Samaritan Village nursing home in Mountain Lake.
He was born on May 26, 1920, in Mountain Lake to J. John and Mary (Hiebert) Friesen. His family lived in Mountain Lake, Freeman, S.D., and Glendale, Calif., before settling on a small acreage just west of Butterfield, Minn., in 1931, where his mother died two years later.
After graduating from Butterfield High School in 1938, he worked for his cousin, Roland Friesen. During World War II, he served as a conscientious objector in Civilian Public Service in a mental hospital in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He attended Bethel College in North Newton for one year, where he met and later married Helen Elisabeth Wiebe on Dec. 2, 1947, in the Emmaus Mennonite Church in Whitewater. They made their home in Butterfield, where they raised their three sons.
In 1948, he started his own heating and air conditioning business, Willard's Heating. After retirement, he continued to do sheet metal work for several local businesses.
He was baptized at Bethel Mennonite Church in 1941 and became a member at that time. He was active in the church as a Sunday school teacher, deacon and church moderator. He also served on the Northern District Conference Mennonite Men, Social Concerns and Home Missions committees.
He is survived by two sons, Douglas (Sandra) Friesen of Goshen, Ind., and Alan (Charlene) Friesen of Sioux Falls, S.D.; his daughter-in-law, Patsy Friesen of Sartell, Minn.; 10 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife; his son, Donald Friesen; and his sister, Magdalen Friesen Kim.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Sturm Funeral Home in Mt. Lake and for one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Bethel Mennonite Church in Mt. Lake. Pastors Amy Nissley and Galen Kauffman will officiate.
Burial will be at Mt. Lake City Cemetery following the service.
Memorials may be given to Mennonite Central Committee. Condolences may be sent via e-mail at www.sturmfh.com.
Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home in Mt. Lake.
