Robert Donald Friess, 74

Robert Donald Friess was born in Decatur, Indiana on June 7, 1944. Bob “went into the loving arms of Jesus” on July 25, 2018. He “transitioned peacefully to heaven” in his sleep, with his wife, Susan, by his side.

Bob grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and graduated from Washington High where he was a star football player and later inducted into the hall of fame. He went on to play college football as a lineman at the University of South Dakota and was accepted into dental school at Northwestern University in Chicago even before finishing undergraduate college.

He graduated dental school in 1969 and then served as a dentist in the U.S. Navy in Okinawa, Japan during the Vietnam War. He was stationed on Whidbey Island before making the Flathead Valley his home in the early 1970s. There he met and was happily married to Susan Orser on May 22, 1976. The most treasured event in his life happened on September 23, 1982 when he trusted Christ as his personal Savior.

Bob shined in the community for being a ‘painless dentist’ in Columbia Falls until his retirement in 2017, and was known among his colleagues and friends as an avid hunter, fisher and honorable businessman. He was always drawn to the beauty of the Rocky mountains, loved the outdoors, fishing and hunting, and the wonder of God’s incredible creation.

He will be especially remembered for his caring strength, his faith in Jesus and desire for all people around him to know God’s love and accept Him personally as their Lord and Savior.

Bob is survived by his wife of 42 years, Susan; son Logan, his wife Anna and children Nina, Nathaniel, Nora, Nessa, Nolan, Niall, Nadia of Rochester, Minn.; son Brian, his wife Melissa and children Elisabeth, Nevah, Shekinah and Amiah of Kalispell; daughter Lindsay, husband Michael Davis and children Lucy, Reuben, Ezra and Boaz of Clay, New York; and son Daniel, wife Anna Jane and children Adele, Heidi and Sylvia of Carlise, Penn. He is also survived by his brother, Dr. Richard and Barb Friess and family of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. His sister Sallie Swanson preceded him in death. He also has numerous family here: Scott and Amy Orser and family of Helena; Malcolm Orser of Kalispell; Dan and Marsha, and Blake Wilson of Kalispell. He also has numerous other nieces and nephews.

We rejoice in knowing that because of His trust in the blood sacrifice of his Savior Jesus Christ, he is completely free from sin and all its effects and agents, including cancer, pain, suffering, grief and death.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, July 30, at Easthaven Baptist Church in Kalispell.