Randy Friesen - Biography (from Memorial Service in CA)
by Jaim Friesen
Hi Everyone,

A number of attendants from the Memorial Service in Fairfield asked for the Biograph, so here it is.

“Randall Michael Friesen” – better known to all of us as “Randy”, “Mr. 32 Degrees” or “The Best Santa Ever”, was born on April 13th, 1953 in Minneapolis, Minnesota at a very early age. (Sorry, this bio just wouldn’t be complete without that one...)

Randy was a preemie, he was born 3 pounds, 3 ounces… He was so small his head fit inside of a coffee cup. It’s the last time he’d have that “head too small” problem.

5 years later, Loyal entered the family, followed by Gwennyth, and eventually a little rugrat named Scott.

After moving around a bit, Bob & Jean settled in a small farming town in southern Minnesota named Marshall. Bob worked at a Silo company there and was heavily involved in the church.

Randy’s favorite pastimes growing up were causing trouble with his friends, getting Loyal into as much trouble as possible while the two worked on Silos together, and getting involved in any type of musical endeavors that presented themselves, mostly through the church and school.

Randy had a natural talent for music. He sang often in church and picked up this noisy contraption called a trombone in the 2nd grade. By the time High School came around the trombone – and the music he played on it - were points of passion for him. He practiced religiously, and enjoyed being a part of any band he could get into. All that singing in church really paid off, too, he had an amazing voice that could lull you to sleep with its subtlety or shake your soul with its power.

After Randy’s Junior year of high school, the rest of the family moved to another small town in Minnesota (fancy that) named Albert Lea. Randy had so many friends in Marshall, he didn’t want to leave so he stayed with his Grandmother Iris in Marshall until he graduated High School in 1971. The time together strengthened a close relationship that Randy and his grandmother maintained their whole lives.

When Randy finally did catch up with his family in Albert Lea, there was a surprise there waiting for him… a cute little brunette with a wry grin, a passion for the Lord, and a zeal for life – not to mention just a little touch of sass. It was, quite literally, love at first sight… for him, anyway.

Suzanne needed a little convincing, tho (just a little) and they began dating in January of 1973. Throughout that time she challenged his heart, his intellect and his faith. It wasn’t long before the two fell hopelessly in love. Randy proposed on May 18th that same year. The plan was to wait a year and get married on that same date the next year (her Father’s birthday – he died in a plane crash when she was 5) but that didn’t really work out. You see, Randy decided to enlist in the Air Force and found himself in boot camp in Texas faster than he could say, “That only happens to people with hollow heads!”

Few things will make a guy realize how good his life back home is than being stuck n Boot Camp, and Randy was no different. He realized Suzanne was unquestionably the one for him, and he just couldn’t stand to be without her anymore. They got married on December 29th that year while he was home on holiday leave. Their “happily ever after” started in a convertible triumph spitfire leaving the church in 2 feet of snow and freezing cold temperatures. They’d never been happier.

After a quick stop in Biloxi, Mississippi, the newly christened Mr. & Mrs. Friesen landed in exotic and mysterious New Mexico, which they actually enjoyed quite a bit. They didn’t have much – ok ANY – money, but as would be their trademark throughout their lives, they made great friends and always seemed to find ways to have fun anyway.

Oh, and, by the way, they had their first child here, a goofy and precocious little boy they named Jaimeson. That was in June of 1975.

Never content to let the family get settled, the Air Force shipped the Friesens - now officially a Family - off to the only slightly more exotic but substantially more remote destination of Guam, where Randy was an Air Traffic Controller. Then the mother of all Typhoons – a doosie of a storm named Pamela – chased Suzanne and Jaime back to the States. It looked like the family would be apart for some time.

Tragedy brought Randy home from Guam much sooner than expected. His sister Gwen died in a car accident (she was only 18 at the time), and his family needed his help & support at home. Randy was granted a hardship discharge and back to Minnesota he went.

Randy, Suzanne and Jaime hopped around suburbs of the Twin Cities for several years, with Randy holding down various jobs to support his family. He sold cars, he sold insurance, but most of the time he was working in Law offices. He was a typist with blazing fingers and had a knack for working on those new-fangled contraptions called “computers”. Most of all, he made every new place of employment a happier and more efficient place to work.

In 1980, Randy & Suzanne gave birth to a daughter, Brittany Michelle. She was daddy’s little girl, and she inherited her father’s penchant for troublemaking and his immense capacity for compassion.

In 1983 the Friesen family expanded yet again, this time a little boy, Zachariah David. Zach was a happy, easy-going little baby, but not long after he was born, he came down with Spinal Meningitis, and barely made it through. It was a tough time for the whole family. There were several babies in that very same hospital at the same time, and only Zach miraculously survived.

Randy soon felt the calling of God on his life to minister, and to do so in an official capacity, so he sought and earned his ordination from the Assemblies of God. Not long after, he was voted in as Pastor of Living Word Assembly of God… a small church in Hastings, MN that just so happened to be the same church his father had pastored a few years before (he, Jean and Scott had since migrated to sunny California). Randy and Suzanne were creative and passionate shepherds for the church, and the family made lifelong friendships there.

But in 1986, God called again. This time he asked Randy & family to move to California to minister alongside Bob in California. It was very hard to leave close friends and family behind, but the family packed up a station wagon, dad uttered, “Let’s blow this pop stand!” and off to California we went.

Randy & Suzanne were the Music Ministers and Youth Leaders at the church – El Cerrito Christian Center. Their home was constantly a safe haven for anyone who needed help. Whether it was young people who needed a place to stay to avoid trouble at home, or family who needed to get away – and get some tough love – Randy & Suzanne were known for opening up their home and hearts to those who needed help.

Over the next several years, Randy found himself working outside the ministry again to support his family. His past experience in law offices proved valuable as he built his reputation in the San Francisco area as a top-notch office manager, computer expert and all-around workplace prankster of the highest order. He always had a knack for teasing someone in a way that made them feel special and important. It was never demeaning, never trite, and never malicious. Again, his true heart always shone through, even when he was sticking his tongue out at you or pronouncing your name precisely how you don’t like it pronounced.

In 1991 Suzanne began working at a high fallutin’ retirement center called Bay Park. It was her ministry, a chance to bring joy and fun to the lives of the residents in her position as Entertainment Coordinator. She did a fantastic job and all, but it was the Randy Friesen show at Bay Park. He sang several times a week, played his horn, hollered “Under the I - 17” at the top of his lungs in the middle of their Bingo games, and made friends with anyone who couldn’t stifle a chuckle at one of those strings of perpetually goofy puns he loved so much.

Bay Park became a central part of their lives, and while they weren’t ministers in any official capacity, they were doing everything they could to minister to the residents and their families there. Randy began dressing up as Santa Claus for the grandchildren of the residents during the holiday season, and he was a natural. Randy loved kids, and kids loved him back. I think they could see right through the costume straight to that big ol’ heart of his.

Unfortunately, in 1993, right about the time Jaim (now too cool for his “e”) graduated from High School, Suzanne began to have major problems with sinus infections. After multiple surgeries and antibiotic treatments, Suzanne developed complications from the treatments that would lead to more serious conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis and severe back pain. Ultimately, she had to stop working, and Randy did everything he could to support her, love her, and help nurse her back to health.

Y2K came around, and something wonderful happened (besides all the computers in the world not exploding at once)… Randy & Suzanne became grandparents, as Brittany and her husband Alan had an adorable baby girl, Hannah Jane Kwong. They adored being grandparents. Suzanne would store up energy for a week to spend one day with the girls, and Randy cuddled his “grandbaby” Hannah constantly. In 2003, another irrepressible baby girl came along, Sara Elizabeth. The girls had a special connection to “Grandpa”. He would even be Santa for the kids in their school classes.

The following year, the family left the East Bay behind (along with Bay Park) and moved to Fairfield, where Bob & Jean and Loyal & Gloria were living and attending the church you’re all sitting in now. Randy & Suzi felt at home in this church family, and made a number of wonderful and special friends here. Look around and you’ll see many of them here today.

Randy eventually joined the Board of the church here and also became church Secretary. As he did everywhere, Dad used his talents to glorify God, leading worship for a time, playing his horn during worship service, doing a solo here and there, and singing in the choir. Though Suzanne’s health was poor, being close to family and being in a church that was like home made it a relatively happy time.

But in October of 2002, Bob passed away from cancer, and Randy mourned his father deeply. In fact, the whole family struggled to deal with his passing.

Then, on Thursday, October 27th, 2005, Randy came home from work early to meet up with Britt to spend some quality time with the girls, and they found Suzanne not moving in her bed. She had passed away in bed earlier that day. Though she had been sick for more than 10 years, her illnesses weren’t the fatal kind, and it was a big shock to Randy, the family and everyone who knew her. I’m pretty sure most of you were here for that.

Few things in life are harder than learning to live without your mate… especially after more than 32 years. Randy turned to the Lord, his family, his church family, coworkers and friends for support, and they rallied around him.

One thing he tried really hard to do after Suzi died was to do a better job of keeping in touch with family & friends, and that he did! He got every penny’s worth out of his unlimited cell phone minutes! He called anyone and everyone, just trying to let them know someone was thinking about them, sharing a funny carpool story (or 3) but mostly just wanting to say, “I love ya, man!”

Also, Zach was beginning college as a trombone performance major at the University of Pacific in Stockton, and Randy shouldered the financial responsibility of putting Zach through school. It was important to him to give Zach every chance of achieving his dream of being a professional trombone player – the same dream he’d passed on as a young man in order to start a family.

He also really needed a friend to be close to. He had to be strong for us kids and for the rest of the family, but he needed someone who would listen and that he could let his guard down with. He began spending time with a friend from the church – Melisa, thanks for coming – and the two eventually grew to love each other. He tried to be a strong and admirable example for her children, and the two spent countless hours talking about their faith, their love and their future together.

But on the 6th of September – a Thursday, Melisa called Randy in the morning to make sure he got up for work, and got no answer. After several unsuccessful tries, she went to the house to check on him and found that he had passed away in the night. He died calmly, by all accounts. A heart attack in his sleep freed him from whatever pain he still carried around in this life. His eyes were closed and his face was at peace.

Now, Dad’s singing with the angels. He’s close to Suzanne, his father, his Grandma, and his sister. He’s probably still playing his horn (though Mom probably still won’t let him play the trumpet), and I’m virtually positive he’s the only one saying “So Be It” at the end of every prayer instead of “Amen’.