James Francis Friesen

James “Jim” Francis Friesen (77) of Phoenix, AZ passed away peacefully surrounded by family Saturday morning, April 23, 2016 after a short battle with kidney cancer. Jim was the oldest of 8 children born August 14, 1938 in Faribault, MN to Clarence William and Gertrude Augusta (Eiler) Friesen. Jim graduated from Detroit Lakes High School in 1956. In 1957, Jim joined the United States Navy and served for ten years which found him traveling around the world on the U.S.S. Enterprise. It was during his service in the Navy where Jim learned his craft as an electrical engineer. On September 17, 1962, Jim and Sharon “Shari” Sylvia Bohn eloped and were married in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Navy life would take Jim and Shari to California and then Idaho before settling in Novato, CA where Jim would begin his career as an Engineer at Fireman’s Fund. Jim and Shari would have two children together.

On September 5, 1971 they welcomed their first born, Eric Edward and later, Amy Amber on June 10, 1977. In 1989, Jim moved his family to the foothills of Ahwatukee in the Phoenix area where he had accepted the assignment of setting up and overseeing a new data center for Fireman’s Fund. Jim would retire from his full-time duties at Fireman’s Fund in 2000 but remained as an on-call employee until the month of his passing. Throughout Jim’s life he had a continual love of learning that often found him researching and learning new things. He could be found reading the newspaper on a daily basis and in his younger years as a child he would read the encyclopedias “just for fun”.

Jim was a fan of all sports including Nascar, tennis, bowling and baseball among his favorites. He enjoyed working on and racing his own cars. He was a long time member of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America and would attend Mercedes rally’s and events whenever possible. He loved bowling at Kyrene Lanes in Chandler and at times was on as many as three leagues a week where he occasionally volunteered as secretary of the league. Jim was an avid fan of his hometown baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. When he wasn’t watching them on TV he could often be found attending the game’s in person and arriving early to batting practice in hopes of catching a ball.

Jim was a wonderful friend, co-worker, brother, son, father and husband. Those who knew him were indeed blessed to count him as a friend and as family. He will be dearly missed in this life, though we look forward to seeing him again one day. Jim is survived by siblings; David (Josephine), Phyllis (Mike), Phillip (Diana), Thomas (Rosemary), Kenneth (Susan), and William (Susan) and Linda. Children; Eric (Michelle) and Amy (Chase). Grandchildren; Dalton, Dylan, Danica, Austin, Delaina, Riley, and Declan. He is preceded in death by his father, Clarence, mother, Gertrude, and wife, Shari. Friends and family may call at the Lauritsen’s home on Friday, May 13th for an open house from 5:30pm to 9:00pm and again at Valley of the Sun Mortuary located at 10940 E. Chandler Heights Rd at 3:00pm for a celebration of life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a donation made in Jim’s memory to either the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona at AzKidney.org or the Arizona Humane Society at AzHumane.org.