Ollie May Friesen, 83, of Russell, Kansas, died on Saturday, August 01, 2020, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays, Kansas.
Ollie was born on November 21, 1936, in Gray, Oklahoma, the daughter of Frank and Belle (Vance) Leatherman. She grew up in the Balko and Gray, Oklahoma areas and graduated from Balko High School in the class of 1955. She met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Henry “Hank” Reimer Friesen on August 26, 1961, in Perryton, Texas. From this union Ollie and Henry were blessed with four children: Alice, Diana, Gordon and Carol. She worked as a waitress but the most important job to her was being wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker to her growing family. She was a longtime member of the Church of Christ. She was also a member of Boyd Quilting Club and T.O.P.S. She enjoyed sewing, embroidering, quilting, cooking and gardening. She most enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Surviving family include her daughter Alice Huff and husband Danny of Miami, Texas, Diana Riedel and husband Patrick of Russell, Kansas, son Gordon Friesen and wife Tricia of Salina, Kansas and Carol Wykoff and husband Richard of Russell, Kansas; sister Eva Cowan of Perryton, Texas; grandkids Ashley Boyd, Amber Bradshaw, Jarred Riedel, Andrew Friesen and Laura Friesen; great grandchildren Averi, Addison and Ainsleigh Boyd, Wyhatte and Hunter Friesen; sisters in-law Doris Leatherman and Frankie Leatherman and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Henry on February 14, 2008, 4 brothers True, Lester, Kenneth, and Paul Leatherman, 2 sisters Cora Leatherman and Joy LaTour and a grandson Jonathan Friesen. A celebration of Ollie’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, August 07, 2020, at the Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary in Russell, Kansas. Burial will follow at the Russell City Cemetery in Russell, Kansas. Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Thursday, August 06, 2020, with family greeting guests from 6 P.M. to 8 P.M. Thursday evening at the mortuary. Memorials may be given to the Ollie Friesen Memorial Fund and sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell, Kansas, is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.