Eileen Friesz

Eileen Friesz, 77, of Green Valley, Ariz., passed away peacefully in the presence of her loving husband and hospice caretakers at Haven Health in Green Valley on Aug. 30, 2024. 

Born in Roseburg, Ore., on Dec. 26, 1946, to James and Virginia (Koller) Hanlin, Eileen attended Roseburg High School and graduated in 1964. She attended Oregon State University (OSU) at Corvallis for one year and then transferred to the University of Oregon Medical school in Portland where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing in 1969.

In 1965, she met Ron Friesz at an OSU campus dance in Corvallis. They became good friends and saw each other often during the next few years, while she attended medical school and Ron served time in the U.S. Army. They married in Vancouver, Wash., on Sept. 28, 1968, and would have celebrated their 56th anniversary in late September. They welcomed their first son, Jim, in 1969, and then a few years later, their family was complete when they welcomed their second son, Dan, in 1972 when the family resided in Moses Lake, Wash.

In the fall of 1970, Eileen began her illustrious 30+ year nursing career at a hospital in Corvallis while Ron attended a few remaining classes to complete his degree at OSU. A few months later, the family moved to Moses Lake, where Eileen worked part-time at the Samaritan Hospital while Ron began his career with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. In 1973, the family moved to Okanogan where they bought their first beloved classic rambler with a front porch and Eileen worked at the hospital in nearby Omak. Dan and Jim started grade school at Oak Street Elementary and Eileen often worked the graveyard shift so that her young family had a parent at home as much as possible. 

Eileen encouraged her family to relocate her mother-in-law Phyllis to Okanogan to be close to the family. Phyllis, Grandma Friesz, remained close to the family for the rest of her life.

The family relocated to Ephrata, Wash., in 1978, where Eileen continued her nursing career at the hospital and nursing home in Soap Lake, Wash. She worked as the Ephrata School District’s nurse for a few years in the early 1980s until she began working as an OB-GYN nurse, and eventually a certified registered nurse, at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake. 

While Jim and Dan completed high school in Ephrata, she never missed a school or sporting event and was seemingly always available to chauffeur her boys at all hours of the day to work in the nearby apple orchards or to shuttle home the lawnmower after various lawn jobs around town. Eileen was proud to send both Jim and Dan to Washington State University to complete their college degrees.

After she retired from Samaritan Hospital in the early 2000s, she spent several years teaching nursing classes at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake. Eileen loved to teach young students about how to be compassionate caretakers and many of her students quickly adored Eileen’s witty humor and teaching style. Her love of canning and food preservation also led her to a role with the WSU Extension Office educating and mentoring others on how to properly and safely can and preserve vegetables, fruits and meats. 

Eileen was passionate about helping, loving and caring for her family and many others in the communities she was connected with. She religiously donated blood as quickly as she could with the Red Cross and proudly displayed her “I Gave Blood” stickers to the family. She volunteered at the local junior high as a host reader to help mentor young children. She also volunteered at the Ephrata Senior Center where she made many friends. She’d check blood pressure and help with health questions.

Eileen absolutely loved being outdoors either fishing, hiking or camping with the family or staying back with a good book while Ron and the boys were out on their adventures. She loved her yellow labrador retrievers, Blondie and Mandy, and would take them for walks and always share an evening ice cream cone. 

She was an avid reader and enjoyed all genres of books and participating in book clubs, her favorite was the Ephrata Book Club. She often journaled more than 100 books read per year. Eileen was a remarkable knitter, sewer, and quilter who created beautiful masterpieces of intricate throws, afghan blankets, comforters, and scarves. She loved playing the penny slots at local casinos and would seemingly always come home with enough winnings to buy dinner and the weekend hotel accommodations. 

Eileen was furiously adventurous and willing to take a trip anywhere to experience new sights, sounds, smells and learn about new cultures. She and Ron made trips to Hawaii, Texas, Tennessee and Mexico. 

She loved music, especially Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, and played the piano remarkably well. 

She authentically spoke her mind yet was always kind-hearted to everyone. She has nourished countless friendships over the years and her loving sense of humor will be greatly missed.

In 2011 Ron and Eileen retired and moved to Green Valley where they continued their love of nature, exploring the desert and nearby Madara Canyon. Their favorite road trip was to the Pine Top Resort. 

Eileen made many friends in the Green Valley community at the knitting club, book club and, of course, the library.

She is preceded in death by her parents, James Hanlin and Virginia Stephens, of Roseburg, her brother, Ronald Hanlin, of Roseburg, her mother-in-law, Mary Phyliss Friesz, of Ephrata, and sister-in-law Sharon Hovley of Pasco, Wash. 

She leaves behind her husband, Ron Friesz, of Green Valley, sons James Friesz (Janet Arbogast) of Seattle, Wash., Daniel Friesz (Amy McCormick) of Astoria, Ore., sister Lynette Nielsen of Roseburg, grandson Nathan Charles Friesz of Vancouver, Wash., Ron’s brother Gale Friesz of Superior, Mont., sister-in-law Judy Hanlin of Roseburg, along with many nieces and nephews.

Eileen’s family would like to thank all the passionate and loving hospice nurses and volunteers at Gentiva Hospice located in Green Valley, Ariz. The care and compassion they provided Eileen will forever be remembered. Celebrations for Eileen’s Life will be scheduled for a later date for loving family and friends in the Green Valley community as well as for those in the Pacific Northwest.

The family asks in lieu of flowers, that you please consider donating or volunteering at your local Hospice, The American Cancer Society, Red Cross, or Ronald McDonald House in Tucson, Arizona. 

The family extends appreciation to Green Valley Mortuary and Cemetery for their care and for establishing a memorial page for friends and family to share photos, memories, and stories. https://www.greenvalleymortuary.net/obituary/eileen-friesz.