Mabel Friesen

Mabel Kate Sawatzky, the daughter of Peter J. and Susan (Nickels) Sawatzky was born on March 12, 1914, at St. James, MN. She received her education at a local country school, the Mountain Lake Bible School, and she graduated from Butterfield High School. Mabel was baptized upon confession of her faith and became a member of the First Mennonite Church north of Butterfield. Following her marriage she was a member of Bethel Mennonite Church in Mountain Lake and she then transfered back to First Mennonite Church. On September 9, 1937, Mabel was united in marriage to Arno Jacob Friensen at the First Mennonite Church. They made their home near Mountain Lake until retiring and moving to Windom in 1980. In 2004 they returned to live on the farm with their son and daughter-in-law, Stan and Gladys. Mabel was active in the Mission Societies of her churches, and as a Sunday School teacher. She was also active as a board member, Sunday School teacher and with the camp program with the American Sunday School Union. Mabel wrote many letters to her children, Missionaries, friends and extended family. She loved to read, memorize Scripture, and pray for her family every day. She had the gift of hospitality, enjoyed gardening and handwork, and doing word search puzzles. Mabel died on Monday evening, April 9, 2007, at the age of 93 years and 28 days at the Sogge Memorial Good Samaritan Center in Windom, MN. Mabel is survived by her husband, Arno Friesen of Mountain Lake; three children, Carolyn Roth and her husband Paul of North Newton, KS, Stanley Friesen and his wife Gladys of Mountain Lake, and John Friesen of Lincoln, NE; four grandchildren, Vicki Regier of Portland, ME, Sherri Hughes of Souderton, PA, and Brian Roth of Abilene, KS; eight great grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Helen Sawatzky; many other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant son, Allen Jacob Friesen; an infant grandson, Shawn Roth; three sisters, Marie Sawatzky, Martha Toews and Linda Dick; and three brothers, Jacob, William and Walter Sawatzky.