Obituary of Clara Friesen

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FRIESEN, CLARA S

Clara S. Friesen, age 94 of Yankton and formerly of Menno, SD, passed away on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 with her family at her side at the Good Samaritan Society in Scotland, SD. Funeral services will be 10:30 am, Monday July 10,2017 at Yankton First Assembly of God with Pastor Mikal Simmons of Yankton SD officiating. Burial will be in the Garden Of Memories. Visitation will be Sunday July 9, 2017 at 5:00 pm at Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton, with scripture service at 7:00 pm by Pastor Carl Pavey. Visitation will resume one hour prior to the Service.

Clara was born at home on the farm in Menno SD on March 9, 1923 to Henry and Emma (Bender) Schaeffer. Clara was baptized at Salem Reformed Church in rural Menno, SD.  Clara did not graduate from high school, but later in life she got her GED and then went to the University of SD and got her four year degree; double major in Sociology and Psychology and a Masters Degree in social work at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. Clara traveled to Los Angeles California in 1943 were she met the love of her life, Walter. They dated three weeks and married April 25, 1943. After getting married, Walter and Clara moved to Anaheim, CA and lived in various other cities and states until finally settling in Yankton, SD.  Clara found the Lord and accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior.  She became very active in the local church and focused on mission work and teaching.  Her love for the Lord was evident in her life.  Walter and Clara became parents and had two children. Her loves in life were her faith, family, friends and traveling the world.  She enjoyed cooking, baking, singing, sewing, bible study and spending time with friends and family.

Clara will be missed by her son, Randall Friesen of Yankton, SD; eight grandchildren:  Dawn (Dave) Emery of Yankton, SD, Jeanette Overbaugh of Coon Rapids, MN, David (Amy) Novak of Mission Hill, SD, JoAnn Novak of Stamford, CT, Shane Wynia of Sioux Falls, SD, Keelie (Ian) Reed of Wellington CO, Crystal (Ty) Anderson of Wellington, CO, Jacob (Heather) Imhof of Wellington CO; many great-grandchildren and many great-great grandchildren; siblings:  Alitha Peterson of Scotland, SD, Edgar (Donna) Schaeffer of Sioux Falls, SD, Ted (Mildred) Schaeffer of Viborg, SD, LeRoy (Nancy) Schaeffer of Sioux Falls, SD and Arlene (Vern) Haase of Scotland, SD and sister-in-law, Elda Schaeffer of Menno, SD. 

Clara was preceded in death by her husband, Walter; her daughter, Sandra; her parents, Henry & Emma Schaeffer; siblings:  Ray Schaeffer, Augusta Bertsch, Olinda Auch, Frieda Schmickel, Walter Schaeffer, and Ervin Schaeffer and two great-great granddaughters, Estevez-Emery Twins.