JOHN FRIESEN (September 4, 1930 – May 24, 2025)

John was born to Isaac and Maria Friesen on September 4, 1930, on a homestead farm just one mile north of the United States border near Lena, Manitoba. He was the oldest of 14 children. As a child, he attended the Plum Hollow School, a one-room school for grades one to eight students and correspondence courses for grades nine and ten.

After completing grade nine, he quit school because his father had become ill and John was needed for help on the farm. He worked on the farm from seedtime to harvest and spent winters working for a lumber yard and seed cleaning business in Killarney. It was during these years that John and his dad drew the designs for a new house which the family built in 1954 with the help of many neighbors.

After eight years of work, John decided that he wanted to go back to school, so he enrolled in grade 11 at the Mennonite Collegiate Institute. As difficult as it was for him at the beginning, he worked hard and enjoyed his studies. After graduating, John went on to the University of Manitoba and obtained his Bachelor of Science Honors degree in Chemistry in 1959, and his Master of Science in 1960.

John returned to the Mennonite Collegiate Institute in 1960, teaching mostly science and mathematics. In 1968, he joined the Chemistry Department faculty at the University of Winnipeg where he was instrumental in the establishment of the Science Fair, and in 1974 became the Director of Admissions and Awards at the University. He retired from this position in 1989.

But John wasn’t ready for retirement. He worked with the Mennonite Foundation of Canada (now Abundance Canada) for one year and then became the Business Manager and Registrar at Canadian Mennonite Bible College (now Canadian Mennonite University), a position he held until April 2000.

In the late 1980’s John met the love of his life, Charlotte (Kogan) Perry. They were married in 1990 and enjoyed twenty-seven years together. John also became a stepfather to Charlotte’s daughter Lianne whom he cherished a great deal. When Charlotte died of cancer in 2017, John felt her loss deeply. Soon after, John moved to Lindenwood Terrace where he found a new community of friends and was able to enjoy his twilight years.

John was a caring spirit and enjoyed serving in various capacities in his church, at conferences, and in educational settings. He volunteered for countless events and organizations and was recognized for his dedication with several distinguished awards.

John enjoyed the enriching experience of travelling. His travels included taking his mother to visit Russia, where she was born, and visiting his brother Rudy and family in Taiwan in the late 1980s. During their retirement, John and Charlotte travelled to different parts of Canada and the U.S., always appreciating the beauty and visiting friends and relatives.

Throughout his life, John was an active learner and deep thinker who thoroughly enjoyed exploring new ideas and discussing topics ranging from new technology to politics, theology, and beyond. He also maintained an interest in the seasonal progress on the farm and loved helping with harvest in the fall. In later years, he would check in with his farming brothers and his nephews about how the crops were doing.

John’s life, heart, and mind were full to his last days.

John was predeceased by his loving wife, Charlotte, and his parents, Isaac & Mary Friesen, his sister Mary, who died in infancy, and sister Margaret, brothers Jake and Henry. He is survived by his stepdaughter Lianne, brothers Abe (Elsie), Arthur (Irene), Rudy (Susan) and Gerhard (Eva) and sisters, Agnes, Martha, Tina (John) Hildebrand, Susie, and Linda (Jake) Enns, and sisters-in-law Sara, and Laura. He is also survived by 24 nephews and nieces and their families, all of whom he cared about deeply.




CHARLOTTE CORINNE FRIESEN (nee KOGAN) (April 25, 1943 - July 14, 2017)

On Friday, July 14, 2017, with her husband, John, and daughter, Lianne, at her bedside, after a short but brave fight, Charlotte Friesen lost her battle with cancer at age 74. True to form, she retained her sense of humor until the very end.

Left to mourn are her beloved husband, John Friesen, and daughter, Lianne Perry. She also leaves her sister-in-law, Frances Kogan, and nieces Haanita Seval, Robin Kogan, Zoë Kogan, and Lizabeth Kogan. There are also many cousins and their families who will miss her dearly. She is predeceased by her parents, Sam and Betty Kogan; her brother, Alvin (Boomy); and her sister, Annette.

Born and raised in North End Winnipeg, Charlotte married Kenneth Perry in New York in March of 1964. They then worked and lived in various places, including New York, Sudbury, Greater Vancouver, and Peguis, MB. While in the Greater Vancouver area, their daughter, Lianne, was born. This marriage ended in 1986, and Charlotte then moved to Winnipeg. In June 1986, she was employed at the University of Winnipeg as a secretary in the admissions office and later as secretary to the Chair of Sociology. She retired from the university in 2006. Her work there gave her much joy, and she made many lifelong friends during her time there. It was also at the university that she met John, and they were married on August 5, 1990.


Music was central to Charlotte’s life. She was an accomplished cellist and pianist. As a pianist, she was particularly skilled as an accompanist. Many vocalists commented on her uncanny ability to move with them and anticipate their musical phrasing. For similar reasons, many professional pianists requested her as their page-turner—a role she relished and enjoyed.

In their retirement years, John and Charlotte continued to reside in Winnipeg but spent winters at their condo in Abbotsford, BC. She became an avid walker, enjoying the trails around Mill Lake on an almost daily basis. These walks became particularly enjoyable after they adopted a plucky little Pomeranian named Jacie. Charlotte and Jacie engaged in a lot of obedience training. It was often hard to determine whether it was Charlotte or Jacie who got the most enjoyment out of these sessions.

Being Lianne’s mom was the most important role in Charlotte’s life. There was truly nothing she wouldn’t do for her. Charlotte was an enthusiastic cheerleader for Lianne and took great pride in her scholastic and other accomplishments. Lianne will always cherish her mom’s devotion and finds comfort in the knowledge that they will one day share laughs, love, and stories once again.