Opal Friez

Opal Friez, 89, died June 12, 2011, at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center, Bismarck. Services will be held at 1:00 pm Friday, June 17, 2011, at Bismarck Baptist Church, 2211 Laforest Ave, Bismarck, with Rev. Merle Hoots officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck. Visitation will be held from 3:00 pm until 9:00 pm Thursday, June 16, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a prayer service will begin at 7:00 pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Opal was born April 24, 1922, in Madison Township, north of Regent, ND, the daughter of Ernest and Alice Gray Graeber. She attended rural school and moved to Bentley, ND, in 1937 with her family. In 1938, the family moved back to Regent. She graduated from Regent High School in 1942. The following summer, she moved to Lemmon, SD, where she worked as a waitress. That fall she moved back to Regent and taught country school. On February 7, 1943, she married Albert Friez at the New Leipzig Baptist Church. They farmed in the Bentley area until 1978 when they moved to Bismarck. Opal accepted the Lord as her personal savior at the age of 16 and then rededicated her life in water baptism with four other members of her family in 1965. She loved her church and was active in Bismarck Baptist Women's Ministry, she helped in Awana and was president of the Prayer and Share Group, worked in the library and helped at the information desk. She loved her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchild and loved baking them their favorite dishes. She leaves to mourn her passing, three sons and daughters-in-law, Wayne and Reva Friez, Bentley, ND, Gary and Earleen Friez, Hettinger, ND, and Wanda Friez, Mandan, ND; two daughters and sons-in-laws, Beverly and Terry Klein, Bismarck, ND, and Cheryl and Larry Meier, Mott, ND; 14 grandchildren, Cary Karla Friez, Nancy Brian Haider, Susan Darin Erickson, Debbie Friez Paul Croteau, Melinda Friez Stephen Sittner, Ryan Linda Friez, Kristie Tony Trusty, Jennifer Troy Marchus, Scott Kim Klein, Nicole Jared DeSautel, Jeremy Amber Friez, Justin Susan Meier, Jessica Paul Dillavou, Jamie Nathan Thomas; 20 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild; one sister, Winifred Bolte; and one sister-in-law, Irene Srb. She was preceded in death by her husband, Albert; her son, Daryl; her parents; two brothers, Herman and Harold Graeber; three sisters, Gertrude Carlson, Viola Soehren and Florence Jones; and her brother-in-law, Howard Bolte.

Opal Friez

April 24, 1922 - June 12, 2011