Monday, April 13th, 1931 - Friday, March 3rd, 2023
A celebration of life for Richard Froese, age 91, of Enid, OK will be 2:00pm, Wednesday, March 8, 2023, at Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Vernon Lee officiating. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home and Crematory.
Richard was born April 13, 1931, in Hutchinson, KS, to Carl and Caroline (Buller) Froese, and passed away March, 3, 2023, in Enid, OK. They move to Meno, OK and lived there for several years, then they moved to Enid, in 1944. Richard attended school at Harrison Grade School, Emerson Jr. High, and Enid High School, graduating in 1950.
He then attended Enid Business College, where he met the love of his life, Velma Cronk. They were married on May 4, 1952, in Laverne, OK. They had three children, Michael Wayne, Douglas Lee, and Cathy Ann.
After graduating from Enid Business College, he worked for Enid Packing Company as chief bookkeeper for some time. He then returned to work at Peerless Ice Cream Company where he worked during High School and College. Shortly after, he was promoted to Plant Superintendent then Chief Engineer. He then went to work for the Enid State School as a mechanical, electrical, and civil engineer. Richard held a Potable Operator operators license, as well as a Water Pollution Control license, a job he held for 28 years, retiring in 1990. In 1970, he started designing new homes and doing renovations and additions on homes for a local architect, designing hundreds of homes in and around the Enid area.
Richard was a member of Grace Mennonite Church until March 2002, when he left to start Sonrise Fellowship Church. Richard was a Christian, missionary and an alliance to his church home. Richard loved Jesus, and spent a lifetime of service to the church; Richard spent his life studying the Prophecy of the Bible and ministering to people about the end times. Richard was a trustee and deacon for more than 25 years, and his high tenor voice could be heard in the Grace Mennonite Quartet with Don, Jim, and Stan.
Richard is preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Velma Froese; and granddaughter, Jennifer Mueller. Richard is survived by his children, son, Michael, and wife Peggy of Enid, OK; son Douglas of Enid, OK; and daughter, Cathy, and husband Gary of O’Fallon, Il; five grandchildren, Kris Froese and wife Jennifer of Enid, OK; Jodi Walker and husband Jeff of Enid, OK; Kristen Young and husband Eric of O’Fallon, Il; and Joseph Mueller and wife Megan of O’Fallon, Il; as well as nine great grandchildren.
Memorial contributions in Richard’s name may be made to the Jennifer Mueller Memorial Foundation with Ladusau-Evans Funeral Home serving as custodian of the funds.
Condolences may be made to the family online at www.LadusauEvans.com. Ladusau-Evans has been serving the families of the Enid Community and surrounding areas for over 40 years with compassionate service and dedication. They provide families with an open door policy. Feel free to contact them 24 hours a day. Visitation Hours: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm daily, 2800 N. Van Buren, Enid, OK 73703. Call: (580) 233-1400.
Obituaries are posted, in part, due to the generosity of The Commons.
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