May 26, 1928 – February 6, 2026
Henry W. A. Friedrich, May 26, 1928-February 6, 2026
Henry Friedrich, 97, of Algona, IA, went to his heavenly home on Friday, February 6, 2026, at Homestead Assisted Living. Services to be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Algona on Monday, March 2, at 11:00 AM. Visitation will be 9:30 – 11:00 am on Monday March 2nd. Burial will take place in East Lawn Cemetery in Algona.
Born to the Rev. Walter and Alma (Thraum) Friedrich, he was baptized, raised, and confirmed in the Christian faith in Coon Rapids, IA. Henry attended and graduated from Coon Rapids High School, Concordia University (then College) in St. Paul, MN, in 1948, and from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO, in 1953. He married Evelyn B. Meyer, the absolute love of his life, on June 21, 1953. They were married for 67 years before Evelyn went to heaven in 2020. God blessed Henry and Evelyn with four children: Barb (David) King, Lacey, WA, Brian (Laurie), St. Paul, MN, Mark (Cindy), Apache Junction, AZ, and Linda (Gail) Friedrich, Oakland, CA, nine grandchildren, Aaron King; Micah, Leah (Vogel), and Philip Friedrich; Megan (Andrew) Ramsey, Daniel (J.J.), Nathan, Nikki, Abigale (Gabe Guerrero) Friedrich; and nine great-grandchildren: Camden and Lydia Vogel; Haley, Piper and Olivia Ramsey; Jaxton and Kathryn Friedrich; Hercules and Kenzo Guerrero.
Henry was a pastor of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod for almost 73 years. He was the pastor of St. Luke Lutheran, Oakridge, OR; Faith Lutheran, The Dalles, OR; Trinity Lutheran, Marcus, IA; Pilgrim Lutheran, Quimby, IA; St. John’s Lutheran, Charter Oak, IA; and Concordia Lutheran, Jamestown, ND. Following his retirement in 1995, he served as a vacancy or interim pastor in 18 parishes in North Dakota, Alaska, and Iowa, including serving as a visitation pastor at Trinity Lutheran in Algona, Iowa, where he and Evelyn made their retirement home.
Henry also served the LCMS as a circuit visitor in the Iowa District West District and the North Dakota District, where he also served as District Secretary from 1988-1996. Henry served as a board member and Vice President of the Lutheran Home Finding Society of Iowa, Dean of
Lutheran Service Volunteer Schools, Dean and staff member of Children’s Camp weeks at Camp Okoboji, Pastoral Advisor for the North Dakota District LLL, and various circuit offices. Henry loved the communities in which his congregations were located and was actively involved in their civic affairs, particularly in local Rotary Clubs in Marcus, IA, where he served as club president, and in Jamestown, ND, and Algona, IA, where he also served as club president. He served as the District Governor of Rotary District 561 and as Team Leader of a Group Study Exchange Team while a member of the Marcus Rotary Club. He was a Paul Harris Fellow and an ardent advocate of the Four Pillars of Rotary. He served on the Board of Directors of Central Dakota Village in Jamestown, ND.
Henry and Evelyn loved to travel domestically and abroad, including trips to Alaska, Hawaii, Austria, Canada, England, Germany, the Holy Land, and Scandinavia. They found great pleasure in spending time with their children and families, extended family members, and dear friends in the various communities they served. Henry’s greatest joys were loving and caring for his family and encouraging people to know that Jesus was their Savior and Lord, something he never tired of doing, even in the last weeks of his life.
Henry was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Alma, wife, Evelyn, brothers and sisters-in-law, Martin (Ruth), William (Marlene), Robert (Irene), sisters and brother-in-law, Caroline (Orville) Kressin, Christina Fiechtl, daughter-in-law, Kathy Friedrich and his dearly loved in-laws, Ernest and Ella Meyer, Eugene, Eunice, and Scott Meyer, EuClaire and Barbara Meyer.
We praise God for Henry’s faith in Christ Jesus and the ways God used him to proclaim the Good News of God’s love for all people, in the places where he lived and served.
Henry desired that memorial gifts be designated for Concordia University, St. Paul; Concordia Seminary, St. Louis; Lutheran Hour Ministries; or Trinity Lutheran Church, Algona.
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