LeRoy Vern Friesen was born October 5, 1936, to Peter O. and Helen (Bergen) Friesen on a farm south of Aurora, Nebraska. He had two sisters, Arlene and Kathleen. LeRoy received his primary education at districts 27 and 85 in Hamilton County. He graduated from Henderson High School in 1954 and attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas for one year.
He was baptized upon his confession of faith by Rev. Arnold Nickel on June 6, 1954, and more fully committed his life to Jesus at the age of 27. He was a faithful member of Bethesda Mennonite Church, where he served as an usher, deacon and business board member. In October of 1955, he volunteered for 1-W service at Mercy Catholic Hospital in Denver, Colorado, where he served for two years as a floor and surgical orderly.
LeRoy married Marion Friesen on March 18, 1958. They lived on a farm near Aurora until 1961 when they moved to the Gordon Schmidt farm outside Henderson, residing there 19 years before building a home northeast of Henderson in 1980. Three children were born to LeRoy and Marion: Michael, Cynthia and Carla, who brought much joy to their lives.
The discernment of his spiritual gifts in a church discipleship class molded his life. His gifts of mercy and service were utilized in his role as vice chairman of the Nebraska Mennonite Disaster Service, which included opportunities to assist rebuilding efforts after floods, fires, and tornadoes. Other short-term voluntary service opportunities that were transformative in LeRoy’s life included those in Akron, PA; Cachipay, Colombia; Carlsbad, NM; Kykotsmovi, AZ; Cebadas, Ecuador; and clerking at the Mennonite Central Committee Et Cetera shop in Seward, NE. LeRoy’s hobby of stained glass led to several years on the Bethesda Mennonite Church stained glass window committee. He enjoyed creating stained glass works of art for the Mennonite Relief Sale and nativity sets and kaleidoscope airplanes for his children and grandchildren.
After retirement from farming, he added fishing as a hobby. A man of prayer, he prayed daily for his family. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and attending their activities. LeRoy will be remembered for his patient kindness, joyful generosity and quiet faithfulness. He went straight into the loving arms of his Savior on October 12, 2024, at the age of 88.
He was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother Allen, sister Arlene and brother-in-law Walter Rempel, and sister Kathleen Unruh.
LeRoy is survived by his wife Marion; son Mike and JoAnn Friesen of Henderson; daughter, Cynthia and Stan Friesen of Henderson; daughter Carla and Alan Weldy of Sarasota, FL; 10 grandchildren: Cassandra (Friesen) and Brett Klingenberg of Peabody, KS; Garrett and Jenna Friesen of Gretna, NE; Trent and Rachel Friesen of Bennington, NE; Blakely (Schwenk) and Curtis Kauffman of Arcadia, FL; Jordan Schwenk of York, NE; Marissa (Weldy) and Bensly Melidor of Nokomis, FL; Malaina (Weldy) and Charles Snyder of Grand Rapids, MI; Landon Weldy of Grand Rapids, MI; Ginny (Friesen) and Scott Ganow of Kearney, NE; Brittany (Friesen) and Levi Stamer of Grand Island, NE; and 22 great-grandchildren: Caleb, Maya, Kate and Jake Klingenberg; Avery, Mia, Paxton, Emerson and Everliegh Friesen; Brylee, Adlee and Rynlee Friesen; Colton, Sawyer, and Wesley Kauffman; Zion and Zayvien Melidor; Bailey, Carter and Eleanor Ganow; Samuel and Leo Stamer; sister-in-law Dorothy and Steve Gibson and brother-in-law Dennis Unruh; honorary brother Gerald Friesen; honorary son Terry Bergen; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.
Graveside services will be held at 9:45 a.m., Saturday, October 19, 2024, at Bethesda Mennonite Cemetery at Henderson, followed by the Memorial service at 10:30 a.m., at Bethesda Mennonite Church in Henderson, with the Reverends Chelsea Vaught and Andrea Wall officiating. Visitation will be from 1-9 p.m. on Friday, with family greeting friends from 7-9 p.m. that evening, all at Metz Mortuary in Henderson.
In lieu of flowers or plants, memorial gifts may be designated to Mennonite Disaster Service Hurricane Relief or Mennonite Central Committee Canner. Condolences may be left for the family at metzmortuary.com. Metz Mortuary in Henderson is handling the arrangements.
