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CHARLOTTE – David Wayne Friesen peacefully passed away Thursday, October 13, 2022
from complications of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in Charlotte, NC. He lived with PD for 15
years and during that time lived the best life he could with the support of many friends and
family. David was born January 13, 1953, in Garden City, KS to Alfred W and Dolores (Ewert)
Friesen and grew up in Hillsboro, KS.

David met his wife, Deborah, at Tabor College in Hillsboro, KS and they were married in 1973.
He graduated from Wichita State University in 1975 with a Bachelor of Business Administration.
From 1975 to 1989 he worked in the family business, Friesen’s Jewelers, with several locations
in Kansas. During that time, he earned the title Graduate Gemologist from the Gemological
Institute of America in California. In 1989, David and his family moved to Fresno, CA where he
attended the Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary and earned the degrees of Master of Divinity and
Master of Marriage and Family Therapy. He then began a career as a marriage and family
therapist and worked in Fresno until his health failed. In 2016 he and his wife moved to
Charlotte, NC, where he transitioned into higher levels of care.

David was a member of North Fresno Mennonite Brethren church in Fresno. His desire was to
serve the Lord through his occupation and his God given talents. He was gifted with creativity
that he expressed through his artistry and writing. His artwork is displayed at the homes and
offices of those who knew him well. David was always very intentional about the relationships
in his life. He deeply loved his family, and was always fully committed to whatever he was
involved in.

David enjoyed playing the game of disc golf with his two sons and was instrumental in starting
an annual disc golf tournament in Fresno to benefit the Michael J Fox Foundation. He loved
telling jokes and collected them in a large notebook so he would be ready for any occasion.
David loved bringing humor to almost any situation.

David is survived by his wife, Deborah, of Charlotte, NC; sons, David Michael Friesen, of
Crescent City, CA, and Matthew Friesen and his wife, Lisa Penner of Fresno, CA; daughter,
Emilie Spillman and her husband, Dustin of Charlotte, NC; brother, Dale Friesen and his wife,
Julie of San Jose, CA. Also surviving are his many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and his dog
Eddie, the most loyal Chihuahua you’ll ever meet.

The family is very grateful to the staff at The Citadel at Myers Park, for their compassionate care
during the last year of his life. We also want to thank the Parkinson’s Disease support groups in
Fresno and Charlotte for their years of dedicated advocacy, companionship and encouragement.

A memorial service will be held in January 2023 in Fresno, CA, time and place TBD.