Kurt David Friesen

Kurt David Friesen, 58, died unexpectedly from Amyloidosis on November 22, 2024. 

 Kurt was born at the Bethel Deaconess Hospital in Newton, Kansas, on April 19, 1966, to Joachim “Joe” and Lois (Weaver) Friesen. He and his older brother, Karl, loved to play along Rock Creek which ran through their farm before it reached the Whitewater River. To find the boys, their parents only had to whistle for the dog to see where they were playing that day. Kurt attended grade school in Towanda and graduated from Remington High School, Whitewater, Kansas. He earned his Bachelor's degree in chemistry at Bethel College in 1988. 

 Kurt met Gwendolyn Neufeld at Bethel College where they had many similar interests and friends. On December 29, 1990, they were married at Bethel College Mennonite Church in North Newton. Together they shared 33 years of business, play, and farm life. The blessings of children came with their daughters’ arrival: Elisabeth Christine in 2003 and Katherine Marie in 2005. A family was now formed alongside many businesses and hobbies.

 With his dad and Gwen already being private pilots, it was no surprise that Kurt earned his pilot’s license at age 21. He and Gwen enjoyed this hobby together for years. He loved trips to Breckenridge, Colorado, any time of the year. Blazing trails during the winter months, Kurt straight-lined down the mountain. In recent years, Elisabeth and Katherine followed their dad’s same trajectory on the slopes and in life. The Outer Banks of North Carolina was another destination for the extended Friesen family, where eight cousins posed for the “line up” at every gathering. 

 Kurt reveled in playing hard: flying, pinball, paintball, video games with friends, and board games, especially Parcheesi with special “Friesen Rules.” The eleven acres behind his house in North Newton gave him great pleasure and challenge through repairing older equipment, digging in the dirt, and clearing brush and trees while attempting not to send Gwen to the ER too often. Kurt loved to fulfill a “fix-it ticket” in outside-of-the-box ways, and his life gave him many such projects.

 As much as Kurt loved playing, he equally relished working hard. Right out of college and throughout his life, he could be found working with his father at Friesen Tool Company in Wichita. Never to be slowed down, Kurt’s hobbies developed into his next venture, SouthWind Internet Access. With his friends and family as part of the business, SouthWind provided much of south-central Kansas with the region’s first internet service. Kurt, Karl, their friend Jeff Stehman, and Gwen received the 2002 Bethel College Young Alumni Award for their foresight and innovation at SouthWind. After selling SouthWind, Kurt continued developing his internet interests by starting a new company: Network Tool and Die. His self-appointed title as internet tower climber was “Post Installation Torque Application Specialist.” He always carried dedication and self-reliance into every aspect of his life, leaving behind a legacy of craftsmanship, integrity, and unwavering determination.

 Kurt gave back to his community by serving in various capacities with local organizations. He contributed as a board member for the North Newton Housing Authority, the North Newton Community Foundation, and the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, and was a current member of the North Newton City Council.

 Kurt is survived by his wife, Gwendolyn Neufeld; daughters, Elisabeth and Katherine Friesen; parents, Joachim “Joe” and Lois (Weaver) Friesen; brother, Karl (Rachel) Friesen; in-laws, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Kurt was preceded in death by his grandparents, Helmuth and Trude (Regier) Friesen, Harry H. and Lottie (Zimmerman) Weaver. 

 He will forever be missed at the dinner table, but our love for Kurt is eternal. 

 Visitation will be from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at Petersen Funeral Home. A memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, December 6, 2024, at Bethel College Mennonite Church in North Newton. 

 In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Kurt may be made to: Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Bethel College, or North Newton Community Foundation.

Below is the link to stream Kurt Friesen's memorial service on Friday, December 6. The prelude will begin at 10:45 with the service to start at 11.