Reverend John Frank Froese

John was born in Mayfair, Sask. on May 23, 1924. His parents and two older siblings had recently immigrated from Siberia where they buried four other children. After completing seven years at the local school the family moved to Ontario. John completed several more years of schooling here before the family moved again to Manitoba.

Several years later, in 1944 John and his buddy, Peter Klassen, voluntarily joined the army during WWII as conscientious objectors. He worked as a medic and as a part of the occupational forces while he was overseas.

Upon returning to Manitoba, John completed his education in Winnipeg where he also met a cute little alto (Catherine Isaak), in the church choir. They were married just a few months later.

After completing his education, John was invited, in 1955, to be the secretary treasurer of the Western Children’s Mission in Hepburn, Sask. By this time the couple’s two oldest children were born.

From 1955-1962 the family lived in the US where John first pastored two churches in North Dakota and then one in Minnesota. All three of these churches were struggling with unresolved issues. The Froese’s two other daughters were born during this time.

Discouraged after almost eight years of pastoring these struggling churches John took a “sabbatical” from pastoral ministry and the family moved to Oklahoma, in 1962. Here John thoroughly enjoyed administering an “old folk’s home”, for three years.

At the persistent calling of the Hepburn MB Church, the family moved back to Canada in 1965. Three of the children graduated from high school during the nine years John pastored this church.

The Kitchener MB Church extended a call to John in 1974 and he pastored there, often in German, for the next eleven years. Their youngest daughter completed high school here.

It was near the end of the Kitchener years that John and Catherine went on a trip to Europe. Here they visited missionaries sponsored by the church and John showed Catherine all the places he had been to during his war years.

In 1985, the East Aldergrove MB Church in BC was the last church to extend a call to John. After three years here, because of Catherine’s health concerns, John took early retirement. During the next several years, 1990-1993, John was able to help several churches that were between pastors. This was a part time interim arrangement. It was during this time, December 1991 that John was diagnosed with cancer. This problem was treated with radiation in early 1992 and he was later declared cancer free. In his journal at this time he wrote, “Looking at my condition can be very discouraging, but looking at God changes all that. How easy it is to look in the wrong direction.” He referenced Psalm 62:1 “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him”.

One of the first things John and Catherine did after his retirement was to go on an extended trip to the US to visit all the places they had previously lived. In Oklahoma they were able to “tour” an “Open House”, the house they had had built. They were interested to notice that the kitchen counters had been raised to “normal” height. John had had them built two inches lower than normal to accommodate Catherine’s height (or lack of!).

After Catherine’s passing, John spent many coffee breaks/breakfasts with good friends Frank Issak (also his brother-in-law) and Wilmar Kornelsen. He also spent ten years driving for the cancer society. John also spent many mornings working at the Gleaners.

John also enjoyed helping his daughter and son-in-law with their luxury inn, since he was living in their in-law suite. When the inn was sold John moved into Primrose Garden and then, as his health declined, into Terrace East.

John’s family is profoundly grateful for the legacy he has left. This was evident in his role as pastor, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Although he will be greatly missed the family is pleased he has, “fought the good fight . . . finished the race . . . and kept the faith.”

(2 Timothy 4:7)

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hendersonsabbotsfordfunerals.com for the Froese family.