Katherine (Unger) Friesen was born on October 26, 1916 in New Bothwell, MB and passed away peacefully Thursday, Nov. 30, 2006 at Bethesda Place in Steinbach, Man. at the age of 90 years. Left to cherish her memory are two daughters and six sons: Bob (Marj), Steinbach, Bev (Larry) Peters, Kleefeld, Man., Joanne (Graeme) Faris, Comox, BC, Wes (Pauline), Steinbach, Reg (Lise), Steinbach, Larry (Debbie), Steinbach, Pete, Steinbach and Richard, Steinbach; 11 grandchildren: Paul, Kevin (Lisa), Lisa, Carla (Kelly), Paula (Lowell), Karen (Darrin), Ashley, Nathan (Krista), Jesse, Laura, Mark; 11 great grandchildren; also remembering are two sisters: Elizabeth and Anna, three sisters-in-law and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. Katherine was predeceased by her husband Barney D. Friesen in 1987, son Bernard Friesen in 1996 and sister Marie. Mom accepted the Lord as her personal Savior and was baptized upon her confession of faith into the fellowship of the Kleine Gemeinde, now the Evangelical Mennonite Church. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, knitting and quilting. She enjoyed her family and going for rides locally and traveling across Canada and the States. She enjoyed good health most of her life, but at the age of 77 she suffered a blood clot in her leg which limited her walking. She endured physiotherapy to regain mobility and walked with a walker but was proud that her leg became strong enough to walk without her leg brace. She even took a bus trip after this and enjoyed being able to travel again. The boys remember the mints she gave them to keep them quiet while driving. Later she and Dad often traveled across Canada. They drove to BC to visit Joanne, Graeme and Ashley and to the East Coast to enjoy the scenery and seafood. They often took trips to the US to shop and visit family in Kansas, as well as going to Hawaii some winters. This was a very enjoyable time for her as they enjoyed retirement and relaxing trips away from home. Mom liked working outdoors and though her garden was large and a lot of work, she enjoyed preserving and canning to feed her family. Our mom was a creative person; sewing our clothes when we were young, keeping her large family supplied with knitted slippers, or crotcheting afghans for the grandchildren for their grade 12 graduations. Just four days before she died she talked to Lisa about a scarf which was started and needed to be finished. We know she would have liked to have finished it. Mom loved to cook and often tried new recipes. She learned to be inventive preparing meals for 11 people three times a day. Sometimes cooking for so many people was a challenge: half the family loved onions and the other half wouldn't eat an onion. Maybe we inherited some of these traits from her. We all knew she liked her coffee and soup boiling hot and her water ice cold. Until a few months ago Mom still talked about wanting to prepare some of her favorite dishes, especially meat. This summer when we enjoyed a family barbecue, she rolled out the dough for the rollkuchen and enjoyed working in the kitchen again. Mom moved away from the house she and Dad built in 1949, into Fernwood Place in 1994 and into Bethesda Place in August 2005. These last weeks, Mom expressed concern for her family and expressed a desire to see them at the feet of Jesus. We are glad she is released from her suffering and the limitations of her failing body, but we will miss her very much. The family would like to thank the staff at Bethesda Place and Bethesda Hospital for their care and concern for their mom. The funeral service for Katherine will be held Tuesday, December 5 at 11:00 a.m. at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach with interment at the Memorial Cemetery. If friends so desire donations may be made to Evangelical Mennonite Conference Missions, 440 Main St.; Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5 or to Mennonite Heritage Village, 231 PTH 12 N, Steinbach, Manitoba R5G 1T8 where she spent many hours quilting.