Wilma Friesen
Obituary
HESSTON - Wilma (Wenger) Friesen, age
93, died Friday (March 9, 2018) at the Schowalter Villa in Hesston.
She was born Wilma Elene Wenger on
March 11, 1924, one mile east and one and three quarter mile south of
South English, Iowa on the family farm; the third child and only
daughter of Homer Wenger and Velma (Cook) Wenger. Two brothers, Harry
of Wellman, Iowa and Wayne of Hindman, Kentucky preceded her in death
- as did a daughter in law Jane Friesen, a son in law Stanley Roth
and a daughter in law Kathleen Foster Friesen.
Survivors include her husband Paul of
Hesston and children including Kelvin (Karen) of Archbold, Ohio with
children Kimberly Kulp (Micah) and Kathryn Friesen Kempf (Scott),
Janice Roth West (Tom) of Wichita, with children Zachary Roth and
Matthew Roth (Allison) and great grandchildren Ella and Piper, Eric
(Wanda) of Cimarron, with children Lana Unruh (Kale) and great
granddaughter Keira and Kendra Headrick (Slade) and great
granddaughter Sadie, Gregg (Joanna) of Newton, with children Rebecca
and Kendall, Jon of North Newton, with children Blake and Jaecy, and
Jennifer LeFevre (Dennis) of Woodland Park, Colorado, with children
Kaedi Baer (Jesse) and Keegan.
Wilma grew up an active part of an
extended family in the South English, Iowa, community and the Liberty
Mennonite Church southeast of town. Just prior to her senior year in
high school the family moved to Wellman, Iowa, where Wilma graduated
from Wellman High School before attending Hesston College. In that
setting she roomed with Grace Friesen who introduced her to her
brother Paul with whom she kindled a relationship that lasted through
her thre eyears of nursing education in LaJunta, Corado, and led to
their marriage on November 29, 1947. Wilma and Paul initially lived
near Morton, Illinois, and in Sterling, Illinois, where Wilma held
several nursing jobs while Paul worked in church planting.
Their first two children were born in
Sterling before the family moved to Hesston where their next four
children were born and Wilma continued her nursing career while Paul
took a position with Hesston College. In Hesston, Wilma initially
served as director of nursing at the Schowalter Villa, ending her
career there as an assistant administrator. In her final years, Wilma
and Paul moved to the Schowalter Villa complex enjoying friends and
family in the setting she had served for many years.
She is remembered as a faithful, quiet,
and kind person, quick to respond and slow to react, quick to forgive
and slow to judge. She will be missed by many and remembered well.
Services coordinated by Miller Ott
Funeral Home of Hesston with visitation from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday
(March 17, 2018) at the Hesston Mennonite Church and a memorial
service to follow at 4p.m. Interment will be at Eastlawn Cemetery in
rural Zimmerdale. Memorials can be assigned to either Harry Hynes
Memorial Hospice or the Schowalter Villa Good Samaritan Caring Fund.
