Rick Edwin Friesz ’76

Rick died Sept. 5, 2021, of leukemia and lymphoma, surrounded by his family at Red Deer Hospice in Alberta, Canada.

Born and raised in Alberta, Rick came to Princeton after graduation from Medicine Hat High School, where he excelled at hockey and baseball. His Little League team won the Canadian national pennant in 1966. At Princeton Rick majored in geology, played center on the hockey team through senior year, and was a member of Tiger Inn. In 1973, The Daily Princetonian reported Rick was instrumental in having a Canadian flag displayed next to the American flag inside Baker Rink.

Roommate Colin Simmons remembered, “I played hockey against Rick prior to going to Princeton. Little did I know then that he would become my teammate, roommate, and friend for life. ‘Sugar Bear,’ as we called him, was a very good athlete. The best word to describe him was ‘tenacious’ — tough to play against. His missing front teeth just added to his persona.”

After graduation Rick returned to Canada and worked in Calgary for a few years along with classmate Lindsay Pomeroy. Rick met his future wife, Barb, in 1976, and they married in 1980. They settled in Red Deer in 1985 to raise their children in the family home. Rick retired after a career in banking and engineering. 

He enjoyed playing, coaching, watching, and being around sports his entire life. He was an avid fan of the Montreal Canadiens, and later in life of the Calgary Flames. He enjoyed playing and watching golf, especially the Masters tournament. Summers were spent at the family cabin on Buffalo Lake, Alberta. Rick loved to go fishing and was always ready for a campfire. He was a faithful friend to many.

The class extends deepest sympathy to his wife, Barb; children Richard and Brittany; and eight grandchildren.