Alice P. Friskel

Alice P. Friskel, R.N., 83, of Frontenac, passed away at 12:45 a.m. Monday, May 11, 2020 at Via Christi Hospital.

She was born February 20, 1937 at Pittsburg. She was raised by her maternal grandparents, Aurelio and Alice (Durant) Rondelli, as her mother, Sarah Rondelli died when she was two years old. Her maternal grandfather was a miner and later a farmer and her maternal grandmother was a homemaker, raising nine children. Alice attended the 1st and 2nd grade at a country school – Cockerill. Her grandparents sold the farm and moved to Frontenac when she was 7 years old. She then attended Sacred Heart Catholic grade school and graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Pittsburg. She worked in the kitchen at the hospital and put herself through high school and later, nurses training, where she graduated from the Mt. Carmel School of Nursing in Pittsburg. She passed the state board examines and became a registered nurse in 1957.

On June 24, 1967, she was united in marriage to David Friskel at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He survives at the family home.

Alice was a Registered Nurse at Mt. Carmel Medical Center in Pittsburg. She served as the Supervisor, then Director of Nursing Services for several years. She retired in 1986. She was the Director and was very much involved in the moving of Mt. Carmel from the old site to the present Mt. Carmel/Via Christi Hospital. In addition to being a nurse, Alice was also the co-owner of the Friskel Funeral Home in Frontenac with her husband.

Membership was held in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Altar Society, Frontenac American Legion Auxiliary, where she held several offices, including Secretary and President for four years. She delivered Meals on Wheels for 30 years, and was in charge of collection in Frontenac for the American Cancer Society and Red Cross. Alice was instrumental in getting the North section of land donated for additional spaces for the Mt. Carmel Cemetery. She also loved playing bridge and was in several bridge groups.

Survivors include her husband, David of the home; a daughter, Janine White and her husband, Al of San Marcos, Texas; two sons, Craig Friskel of Frontenac and Eric Friskel and his wife, Lesley of Mission Hills, Kansas; six grandchildren, Sarah Gebhart, Alison Brown, Emily Gibson, Jack Friskel, Luke Friskel, and Nora Friskel; and two great-grandchildren, Oliver Lee Gibson and Baylor Gebhart.

She was preceded in death by her mother and grandparents.

A rosary will be prayed at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 14, 2020 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Fr. Philip J. Voegeli as celebrant. A Mass of Christian burial will immediately follow the rosary. Burial will follow in the Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery. Friends may call from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Brenner Mortuary. The family suggests memorials to Alice and David Friskel Nursing Scholarship at PSU and/or the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. These may be left at or mailed to the Brenner Mortuary, 114 East 4th Street, Pittsburg, KS 66762. Friends may also leave condolences online at www.brennermortuary.com. Arrangements are under the direction of the Brenner Mortuary, Pittsburg, KS.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Alice P. Friskel, please visit our floral store.