Merle Royston Friesen

Dr. Merle Royston Friesen, age 91, of Montgomery, Alabama passed away on Thursday, April 10, 2025. Born to Edward and Leona Friesen in Nebraska, he served in the U. S. Air Force retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel. After retiring from the Air Force, he received his Doctorate of Education from Auburn University and was employed by the Alabama Department of Corrections. He served as Chief Psychologist for the Alabama Department of Corrections and an Associate Commissioner. He will be remembered as one who loved to travel, hiking in the Alps, trekking through the Matterhorn, enjoying Switzerland. But more than traveling, he loved his family, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Dr. Friesen was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Clair Friesen, and son Jeffery Hans Friesen. He is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years (as of Sept. 24th), Dolores; his children, Gary (April) Friesen, Julie (James) Porath, Susan (Chip) Cheek, Greg (Kristi) Friesen, and Jeffery Hans Friesen (deceased); his grandchildren, John, Michael, Paul, Cierra, Sienna, Lori, Blair (Jeff), Emily (Nick), Teddy (April), Daniel (Breanna), Lily, Gregory (Melissa), Joshua (Kelsey), Tyler, Hayden, Alex, and Chad; his great grandchildren, Sophia, Jonathan, Sarah, Joseph, Sam, Chandler, Colin, Zoe, Miles, Piper, Charlie-Kate, Henry and two great granddaughters to be born this summer; his brother, Eugene Friesen, and his sister, Myrna Enders, as well as a host of special nieces and nephews.

A friends and family visitation for Merle will be held Saturday, April 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Alabama Heritage Funeral Home & Cemetery, 10505 Atlanta Highway, Montgomery, Alabama 36117, followed by a Celebration of Life chapel service at 11:00 AM. An interment will follow at Alabama Heritage Cemetery.