Robert "Bob" Vern Friman

Robert “Bob” Friman, 93, Brandon, formerly Pierre, (Friman Oil and Gas), died Friday, September 14, 2018, at the Dougherty Hospice Home in Sioux Falls, following a short health struggle.

Visitation with family will be 1-3pm, Tuesday, September 18, 2018, at Heartland Funeral Home, Brandon. Burial will be 10:00am, Wednesday, September 19, at the Black Hills National Cemetery.

Bob was born to Roy and Anna Friman on August 14, 1925 in Wessington Spring, SD and grew up on a farm near Hurley, SD. He graduated from Hurley High School in 1943 and was class president his senior year. Bob also was quarterback for his High School, Navy and Yankton College football teams. He enlisted in the US Navy, September 1943 and served on a merchant marine ship as a member of a Navy gun crew called the Armed Guard. His tour of duty took him around the world on his first tour and then mainly in the Pacific at Saipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa when World War II ended. He was honorably discharged in April 1946.

Bob attended Yankton College for a year and then joined Standard Oil Company in Sioux Falls for 18 months and was then transferred to Huron for 18 months. In 1950 he moved to Pierre, SD and continued with Amoco Oil Company until his retirement in 2000. He owned Friman Oil and Gas and was instrumental in building of the Oahe Dam. One of the most noted training he received through Amoco was with the Dale Carnegie Course early in his career.

Bob became involved with the community of the City of Pierre and the state of South Dakota in many areas. In 1964 he was elected president of Pierre Chamber of Commerce and in 1969 he was elected president of the South Dakota LP Gas Association. In 1970, Bob was elected president of the South Dakota Golf Association. He was also elected Chairman of Board of Trustees for the First Congregational Church in Pierre, South Dakota and served on the Board of Directors of the South Dakota Oil Marketers. In 1946 Bob became a member of the American Legion and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He also became a member of the Pierre Elks Lodge in 1953.

Bob became a pilot in 1947 training under Curtis Shupe and Joe Foss in Sioux Falls, SD. After moving to Pierre, Bob became a commercial, instrument and multi-engine rated pilot until his retirement in 2000. He owned several airplanes throughout his flying career, including a Cessna 170, Beech Craft Bonanza and part owner of a Piper Seneca Twin. Bob was also an avid golfer with numerous hole-in-ones and played his last 9 holes on August 9th, 2018. He was an avid pheasant and goose hunter for many years. He has also enjoyed pheasant hunting again in the fall the last 3 years.

The highlight of Bob’s entire life was when he married Sandy Wiese on February 29, 1948 and started a family when two little new persons entered their lives; Susan in 1957 and Brenda in 1960. They gave them four grandchildren: Robert, Kevin, Ashley and Rachel.

Bob is survived by his two daughters, Susan (Kevin) Winter, Sioux Falls and Brenda (Terry) Doran, Waukee, IA; and six grandchildren, Robert, Kevin, Ashley, Rachel, Anna, and Patrick.

Bob’s father passed away in 1958 and his mother in 1978. Also proceeding him in death were two sisters, Muriel of Cave Junction, Oregon, Shirley of Santa Barbara, California and four brothers, Everett of Sioux City, Iowa, Duane of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Donald of Wichita, Kansas and Gary of Pierre, South Dakota. Most importantly, Bob is preceded in death by his wife of 67 years of a happy marriage, Sandy on June 30, 2015.

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