Obituary of Richard Friend

Richard (Dick) Friend, 96, died Thursday, May 17, 2012 at Rolling Hills Manor Nursing Home. He was born March 26, 1916 at home on West 26th Street in Zion, graduated from the Zion Parochial School and lived and worked in the Zion/Winthrop Harbor area all of his life except for the last two years where he had resided at Sunrise Assisted Living in Gurnee. He was a second generation owner of the family run business, H.A. Friend & Company, Inc., a manufacturer of stationery products and provider of office supplies to the legal profession. He was the company president for 20 years from 1961 to 1981. He was a loving husband, a wonderful father and a proud grandfather and great-grandfather. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed gardening, square dancing and round dancing. Survivors include one daughter, Sheryle Lee (Charles) Welch of Tulsa, Okla.; one son Richard W. (Karen) Friend, Jr. of Wadsworth; four grandchildren Jennifer (Mark) Strampe of Janesville, Wis., Michelle (Tim) Flath of Madison, Wis., Richard W. Friend, III of Gurnee and David Michael Friend of Brooklyn, N.Y.; three great-grandchildren Alyssa and Grace Strampe and Sophia Flath; one brother William (Bill) Friend of Winthrop Harbor. He was preceded in death by his wife Esther (Back) Friend; his father and mother Harley Alfred and Alva (Witter) Friend; two brothers Wilber (Web) and Howard Friend; one sister Lillian Hansen. Services will be private for the family with entombment at Mt. Olivet Memorial Park, Zion. The Congdon Funeral Home, 3012 Sheridan Road, Zion is serving the family.