Julius W. (Blackie) Friesen passed away Monday, September 28, 2009 at Trinity Hospital in Wolf Point, MT.
Julius W. (Blackie) Friesen was born June 26, 1927 at home on the family homestead in Lustre, MT. He was the youngest in a family of 12 children.
His parents were Jacob J. Friesen and Katie Wiens Friesen. He attended the Wolf Creek rural school through the 6th grade and then attended grade school and high school in Frazer.
He served in the army of occupation in Japan and with the 40th Infantry Division in Korea during the Korean Conflict and received an honorable discharge October 1952.
He always honored and respected his Mennonite roots, however, on May 21, 1953 with Ralph Eggebrecht as his sponsor, he was baptized into the Catholic Faith by Father Patrick J. O’Reilly. He married Harriet Green on Oct. 5, 1953 at the Immaculate Conception Church in Wolf Point.
He was employed at the Wolf Point post office for 31 years and retired in June of 1984. On November 11, 1977 he and his family started the Friesen’s Floral and Greenhouse, still in operation today.
Gardening and his roses were a great hobby. He belonged to the DAV, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the K.C.’s.
He is survived by his wife Harriet, children and their spouses; Patrick (Heather) Friesen of Billings, Mary Frances (Robert) Buckles, Cathryn (Ken) Wylie of Wolf Point. He is also survived by his two grandsons; Louis Vincent Buckles (Mary D) deployed in Iraq and Chase Russell Friesen of Las Vegas, brother Hank (Rose) Friesen of Glendive, sister Marie (Ralph) Davis of Casper WY., and two sister-in-laws, Ida (John) Friesen and Elizabeth (Pete) Friesen of Glasgow.
He was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Alfrieda, his parents and brothers Jake, Abe, Pete, John and Ben and his sisters, Elizabeth Friesen, Sally Kuecks, Kathryn Hawkins and Eva Eggebrecht.
Visitation will be 2:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Friday, October 2nd, 2009 at Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel with a Vigil Service following at 6:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, October 3rd, 2009 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with cremation to follow. Celebrant will be Father Francis Schreiber. Graveside inurnment will be 1:00 p.m. Sunday, October 4, 2009 at Greenwood Cemetery, Wolf Point.
Condolences to the family may be sent by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements.