Friesen, Blake (1918-2012)
Clarence Blake Friesen: accountant; born 26 May 1918 to Cornelius Friesen (21 February 1895, Henderson, Nebraska, USA - 9 November 1989) and Elizabeth (Thiessen) Friesen (4 August 1894, Windom, Minnesota, USA - 28 May 1984) in Langham, Saskatchewan, Canada, the eldest of five children. He married Louise Emma Toews (19 December 1912, Rosthern, Saskatchewan - 28 July 2010, Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 9 October 1944. Louise was the daughter of David Toews (9 February 1870, Lysanderhöh near the Volga, Russia - 25 February 1947) and Margarete (Friesen) Toews (24 July 1881, Laird, Saskatchewan - 11 July 1941). Louise was a piano teacher and church musician. They had three children, Gary, Alan and Howard. Blake died on 9 January 2012 in Calgary, Alberta, where he was buried.
Blake graduated from Rosthern Junior College in 1942. That same year he was baptized in the Rosthern Mennonite Church by David Toews. He trained as an accountant with the International Accountants Society: professional training in accountancy and office management 1943-50. He began a career in the Regina office of Revenue Canada (now Canada Revenue Agency), 1944-1975 and the Edmonton Appeals Division, 1975-78. After retiring from Revenue Canada he became a stewardship consultant and eventually regional and national (1979-84) manager of Mennonite Foundation of Canada, playing an important role in establishing the Foundation and serving on its Board of Directors, 1973-78. He was named an honorary life member of the Foundation in 1987.
Friesen played a leading role in establishing Victoria Avenue Mennonite Church (later Grace Mennonite Church, Regina), in 1955, serving as chair of the congregation, 1955-62. He was chair of the Board of Directors of Rosthern Junior College, 1967-72, sat on the Alberta Cultural and Heritage Council, 1977-78, served on the Board of Directors, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1986-89, and took an active role in the Mennonite Historical Society of Saskatchewan (serving as president from 1976 to 1980) and the Mennonite Historical Society of British Columbia.
Blake and Louise moved to Clearbrook, British Columbia in 1978, to Calgary, Alberta in 1983, and retired in Calgary in 1984.
Bibliography
Archival Records
Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta Archives, Calgary, Alberta: C. Blake Friesen fonds.
| Author(s) | Wesley Berg |
|---|---|
| Date Published | June 2012 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Berg, Wesley. "Friesen, Blake (1918-2012)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2012. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Friesen,_Blake_(1918-2012)&oldid=64244.
APA style
Berg, Wesley. (June 2012). Friesen, Blake (1918-2012). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Friesen,_Blake_(1918-2012)&oldid=64244.
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