Friends Funeral Service

Our Story...

On September 1, 2005, Friends Funeral Service opened its doors in Winnipeg with two principle owners, Walter Klassen and Harry Froese, and then Harold Koslowsky joined the partnership that year. Klassen was a longtime funeral director and former owner of Klassen Funeral Home, an endeavor he began in 1970, where both Froese and Koslowsky worked. Not only are the three friends, they are also family. Froese and Koslowsky are married to Klassen's nieces. 


"So we blame him (Klassen) for what we've got into," laughs Froese. "We worked together for almost 10 years and even then, a lot of people did not know that we were all related." 


Since opening, four long-time staff members of Klassen Funeral Chapel, hostess Barbara Mueller, casual driver John Olfert and office administrator Betty Plett joined the partners. 


Friends Funeral Service began in response to requests asking Walter Klassen to provide funeral services after he had retired from Klassen Funeral Chapel. He made arrangements with another funeral home that if family or close friends called, he would be able to use their facility to do the funeral. " Lo and behold, a family called."


The family was very pleased with the arrangement and word quickly spread that Klassen was still available to assist families in need. Harry Froese joined Klassen in assisting families, and a new partnership was realized. 


"The interesting thing is that we did about 50 funerals without a name, without a building, without an address or phone number," said Klassen. Since they were not officially open for business, and were operating out of other funeral homes, they ran into a dilemma of how to advertise the funeral in the newspaper obituaries. They decided to keep it simple: 'Friends of the Family' in care of arrangements. Klassen said this really gained attention and they decided to use the name Friends Funeral Service once they became incorporated. 


In May 2010, Walter Klassen retired from Friends Funeral Service, leaving the business fully in the hands of Harry Froese and Harold Koslowsky. In December 2018, Harold Koslowsky retired. Keeping it in the family, Harold's son Jotham Koslowsky and Harry's daughter Danielle Froese graduated from the Canadian College of Funeral Service in 2018 as licensed Funeral Directors.


In July 2022, the ownership of Friends Funeral Service transitioned to the third generation; Danielle Froese and Jotham Koslowsky, carrying on the values and traditions that Friends Funeral Service was founded on.  Harry Froese continues to work full time. 


Friends Funeral Service is independently owned by Danielle Froese and Jotham Koslowsky with a full complement of staff. We provide a full range of services including earth burials, cremation, memorial, inurnment and graveside services, and prearrangements. 


We serve all churches and cemeteries.

What Makes Us Unique

We are proud to embrace traditional values, diversity and innovation in honouring the spirit and life of each person we serve. We offer a full selection of:
  1. Funeral and memorial services, ranging from traditional to uniquely innovative and personal
  2. Burial services and cremation options
  3. Clergy Services
Letting go of a loved one is usually a very difficult process. In order to provide your family peace-of-mind, our funeral home offers complete care, so you can focus on comforting each other as you prepare to say goodbye to someone dear to you.
Although there are many decisions you may have to make, we assure you that we will guide you through the entire process every step of the way. We promise to help you:
  • Design the most fitting memorial or funeral service to honour their memory and pay tribute to their life achievements and experiences.
  • Select the most appropriate products, including a casket, burial vault, cremation urn, cemetery or mausoleum, to fit your budget and suit your needs and desires.
  • Write a fitting obituary to honour your loved one’s life experiences and social connections.
  • Assist in the publication of the obituary in the newspapers of your choice.
  • Create a Book of Memories™, a beautiful, permanent online memorial, where you and your friends can build a legacy of memories by archiving treasured photos and memories.
  • Welcome your family and friends to our funeral home for your planned services, including a viewing, visitation, funeral or memorial service.
  • Make all arrangements with regard to the services whether they are held at your place of worship, our funeral home, cemetery, or alternate gathering place.
  • Provide you with beautiful funeral print materials, including memorial folders, prayer cards and book marks. We also offer personalized note cards for you to acknowledge the emotional support you received from friends, co-workers and community members.
  • Provide an elegant hearse and funeral cars, as well as arrange for escorts.
  • Help in the selection and on-site arrangement of floral tributes.
  • Provide access to grief education and support materials, and referrals to counselling services.
  • Prepare all paperwork, including vital record statistics, permits, filing and obtaining death certificates, and assistance with life insurance, veteran’s benefits and Canada Pension Death Benefit and Survivors Claims.
We hope you will turn to us for compassionate care and impeccable service. Our pledge is to honour your loved one and family with dignity, respect and personal attention to every detail.
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