Wilbert Dudley Friehauf

He was born November 24, 1919 to Wilhelm Friehauf Sr. and Anna Elizabeth (Jorg) Friehauf in Brush, Colorado, the youngest of nine children, where he was raised on a farm and graduated from Brush High School in 1937.

He attended the University of Denver for pre-dental education and entered North Pacific Dental College (now UHSU School of Dentistry) of Portland, Oregon in 1941 and graduated in the fall of 1944. He was a member of the Xi Psi Phi dental fraternity.

The winter of 1944 was spent at Carlisle, Pennsylvania for basic officer training. He spent his first Army Dental service at Camp Fannin, Tyler, Texas, where he met and married Mary Ellen Ford on March 11, 1946. Two weeks later he was sent to Japan with the occupation troops where he served as Battalion Dentist for the 43rd and 353rd Engineer Aviation Battalion. He was discharged with the rank of Captain in 1947.

In early 1947, after his return from Japan, he established his dental practice in Yakima, Washington and has resided here ever since where their four children were raised: Gregory, Norman, Nancy and Bradley. He was a family man and his devotion to his wife and children was steadfast.

He was a member of Yakima Valley Dental Society and the Washington State Dental Association. He became a life member in the American Dental Association in 1985 and retired in 1986.

He loved working with exotic woods, designing pieces of furniture, vases, bowls, candle holders, picture frames, birds, a rocking horse, a tea cart, sail boats and planes. He also designed gold jewelry. He loved gardening, from his vegetable garden of onions, eggplant, rhubarb, acorn squash, carrots, pumpkins and tomatoes to his roses and prolific mums. He enjoyed his family and friends and playing bridge and golf (a hole in one on the 13th hole at Sun Willow, Pasco, WA on 7/23/1987). He was a charter member and past deacon and attended Westminster Presbyterian Church.

He is survived by three sons, one daughter, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren: Gregory Friehauf of Houston, TX, wife Mary Jane Friehauf, their two children Gregory Jr. and Mary Elizabeth (husband Ben Moore), and their one child Anna Elizabeth; Norman Friehauf of Vancouver, WA, wife Tammy Friehauf, one child Rachel (husband Bryan Smith), their children Caleb, Nathaniel and Noah; Bradley Friehauf of Kennewick, WA, wife Jeannie Friehauf, their two children Matthew and David; one daughter, Nancy K. Friehauf of Redmond, WA. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Mary Ellen (Ford) Friehauf on May 1, 2016. They celebrated their 70th anniversary March 11, 2016 with their children.

He was preceded in death by his father (1874-1953), his mother (1875-1965), his five brothers: Carl (1898-1950), William (1903-1983), Herbert (1917-2004), Edwin (1915-2009) and John (1912-2012), and his three sisters: Marie Lebsock (1901-1971), Elizabeth Meininger (1907-1955) and Margreit Jacoby (1909-1993).

A private family service will be held at a later date. To share a memory, visit www.keithandkeith.com.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks for the compassionate care given to Will over the past five months by the committed staff at Summitview Healthcare Center of Living Care and the last few days of his life by Yakima Memorial Hospice.

You were always there for us, Dad. You always put your family first. We miss you and love you always and forever. We will all be reunited again one day.

And then one day, I’ll cross the river, I’ll fight life’s final war with pain; And then, as death gives way to Victory, I’ll see the lights of Glory and know my Savior lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, Because He Lives, all fear is gone; Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living, Just because He lives.