John Edward Friedrich

John E. Friedrich was born Johann (Hans) Eduard Friedrich to Adalbert and Theresia Friedrich in Lungern, Switzerland on November 4, 1920. He died peacefully at home in Rio Linda on Thursday, April 25, 2013 after a short battle with cancer. He is preceded in death by his wife, Josephine, his only son, Hans Friedrich, 3 of his siblings, and his former son-in-law, Ronnie Peeters. He is survived by his sisters, Theresia Ming and Anni Sigrist; brother, Peter Friedrich, and numerous other relatives in Switzerland; his 7 daughters and their spouses, Margaret Trivett (Rick), Ruth Ortiz (Jose), Kathleen Friedrich (Tim Blaine), Karleen Darr (Mike), Martha Friedrich, Mariann Friedrich (Kevin Glaser) and Claire Zumbach (Ernie); 22 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren and other friends who called him “Grandpa”. John grew up on a farm in Giswil Switzerland with 7 siblings and spent summers working in the Alps. He served in the Swiss Army during WWII. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1946 and taught himself to speak, read and write English. He worked as a milker at several California dairies, a lumberjack in Humboldt County, a farmer in Yolo and Sacramento counties and retired as a machinist assistant for Capitol Machine Corp.

In 1951, he met and married his wife of over 60 years. In 1958, John and Josephine moved to Rio Linda to raise their family. He became a U.S. citizen in 1965. He remained a gentleman farmer, growing 24 acres of alfalfa, milking a cow twice daily, butchering his own beef, and raising fruits and vegetables in the backyard garden.

John was a “jack of all trades” who repaired everything from family cars to farm equipment to plumbing to household appliances. He made cabinets, furniture and other improvements to the family home.

Family was at the center of everything for John. At the end of a family celebration, he once said that he came to this country with little money in his pocket and that some might say that he still had little money in his pocket, but he felt rich in so many ways.

John was a renowned storyteller, a true salt of the earth who enjoyed a good political argument as well as an occasional playful prank. He set an example of what it means to be a good man, not by his words, but by his actions. He will be remembered for his hard work, wicked sense of humor, resourcefulness, eternal optimism, his love of adventure and nature, and his abiding faith in God.

Rosary and visitation at 7 pm on Thursday, May 2 and funeral mass at 10 am on Friday, May 3 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church 1951 North Avenue, Sacramento. Interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery followed by luncheon at Dante Club. Funeral arrangements by Nicoletti, Culjis & Herberger, 451-7284. Remembrances can be made to a charity of your choice.