Katherine Mary Friesen

1944 - 2024

Katherine Mary (McCune) Friesen passed away on Friday, July 26, 2024 in her home in Tucson, AZ surrounded by her husband and daughter. Loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt and grandmother, she was 79 years old. Kate was born in Cedar Rapids, IA on September 19, 1944 to Mary Elizabeth (Meyers) and John Francis McCune Jr. After graduating from Williamsburg High School, she married John James Hughes of Williamsburg and they moved to San Gabriel, CA. In 1965, they had a daughter, Lisa Ann (Hughes) Ebeling and soon moved back to Iowa, residing in Cedar Rapids. They divorced in 1976, and on June 1, 1985 she married Dr. W. Jay Friesen. She went on to college and graduate school (U of IA) and graduated Suma Cum Laude in Marriage and Family Counseling. She worked at Rockwell International and upon retiring, moved with her husband to Tucson, AZ. Kate was known for her quick wit, infectious laugh, and banter with friends and family along with notorious picture-taking. She adored and doted on her four grandchildren (Joshua and Jenna Ebeling and Hunter and Connor Friesen) and will always be remembered for her loving nature, compassion, generosity and as the grandmother known as "fun Granny." She is preceded in death by her parents and brother John Francis III, stepmother Shirley McCune, and half-siblings Barb and Bill McCune of Williamsburg, IA. She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 39 years, Jay, daughter Lisa, son-in-law Mark, grandchildren Joshua and Jenna Ebeling of Colorado, step-son Mark, daughter-in-law Jessica, and grandchildren Hunter and Connor Friesen of Minnesota, and half-siblings Tom McCune of Cedar Rapids, Janet Kugley of Cedar Rapids, Carolyn McCune of Des Moines, and Kim FuhrMeister of Iowa City, sister-in-law Joy McCune of Minnesota, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Cousins Leanne Reddick (Bob) of North Carolina, Larry Donohoe of Oregon, and Mike Donohoe (Linda) of Virginia grew up with Kate and were as close as siblings. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Monday, November 25, 2024 at the Radisson Hotel, 1200 Collins Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA. Receiving will take place from 3-4 pm, with a service and slideshow beginning at 4 pm and fellowship until 6 pm. Guests are welcome to attend all or part of this informal service. Flowers or donations may be sent to the Mayo Clinic, or to The Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Foundation.