April 8th, 1935 ~ October 2, 2024
Marlys Jean Friesen
April 8, 1935 – October 2, 2024
Marlys was born in Mountain Lake Village, Cottonwood County, Minnesota, to Jacob H. Bartsch, and Sadie Bertha (Weigold) Bartsch. She had one sibling, her twin brother, Marlyn Bartsch.
Marlys married Robert Stanley Friesen on July 1,1958 at Mennonite Brethren Church, in Delft, Minnesota.
Marlys graduated from Mountain Lake High School in May of 1953 and went to Mankato State College where she graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and become a member of the America Association of University Women in June of 1958.
Marlys and Bob Friesen went to high school together and played together in a trumpet trio. When Marlys & Bob married, they went to the MB Seminary in Reedley, CA in 1960 Bob & Marlys accepted a call to plant a Mennonite Brethren church in Omaha, NE in 1964.
The Friesen family grew on March 23, 1959, with the birth of their first son, Roger Kevin. He was followed on January 21,1962 by the birth of their second son, Michael Dean.
As a widowed mom of two boys, Marlys went back to teaching school for a season. She worked at a Christian Bookstore after teaching and then went to work as an administrative assistant at Guarantee Mutual Insurance company until her retirement. She stayed in her home for many years, planting things in her yard and having lots of grandchildren come to visit.
Marlys loved to bake and cook and was always very creative and thoughtful in doing so. She would always make everyone’s favorite desserts and made the best rolls with plenty of extras to send home for grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In November 2019, Marlys attended her youngest, at the time, great-grandchildren’s baby dedication (Crew & Calia Bayly). Crew & Calia were twins just like her and Marlyn. After the dedication, Marlys drove herself back to her own church where Mike was preaching and they were having a Thanksgiving luncheon. It was there she fell on a carpeted floor and was hospitalized with significant injuries.
After hospitalization and recovery in a center for rehabilitation, Marlys moved to Heritage Assisted Living at Legacy in Omaha. Although she recovered slowly from that fall and moved pretty slowly for the past 5 years – using a walker and wheelchair most of this time--she looked forward to visitors and sat in the outdoor courtyard area after having lunch quite often each summer. As a family, we were super grateful the Lord provided such a great place for her to live.
Marlys was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Stanley Friesen, her father and mother, Jacob H. and Sadie B. (Weigold) Bartsch, and her twin brother Marlyn Bartsch.
Marlys is survived by her two sons and eleven grandchildren: Roger (Denise) Friesen, their four children Jessica (Ty) Hickok, Kurt Vincent (Kayla) Friesen, Sadie (Ethan) Hall, Emma (Andrew) Bayly; and Michael (Carolyn) Friesen and their seven children, Joelle (Tyler) Oakland, Philip (Katie) Friesen, Abby (Frank) Garcia, Benjamin Friesen, Rachel (John) Cosby, Peter Friesen, Daniel Friesen.
Her EIGHTEEN great-grandchildren (including one grandbaby due very soon) are: Jacob & Collin Hickok, Easton, Olivia, & Owen Friesen, Chloe & Stanley Hall, Hunter, Bennett, Crew, & Calia Bayly, Makenna, Konnor, Kamryn & Asher Oakland, Michael & Lucie Friesen, Baby Garcia (due soon), and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Her sister-in-law Jan (Marlyn, Marlys twin that died in 2016) Bartsch, Brother-in-law Gene (Carol) Friesen, sisters-in-law Nadine Friesen, and Brenda (Rod) Hamm.
Graveside Service: Tuesday, October 8th, 2024, at 1:00pm at Delft Cemetery in Delft, MN.
Celebration of Life Service: Monday, October 14th, 2024, at 11:00am at Converge Church, 14515 Harvey Oaks Ave, Omaha, NE 68144
Braman Mortuary and Cremation Services
6505 S. 144 St. Omaha, NE 68137 / 402-895-3400
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