Obituary of Henry Bruce Friedrich

Henry Bruce Friedrich died at his home in North Liberty, Iowa, on April 24, 2024, after a brief illness, surrounded by his wife, three children, and daughter-in-law.

Bruce was born on October 20, 1936, to Henry and Margaret Wilson Friedrich of Bessie, Oklahoma. He grew up in a family of Germans from Russia, including his grandfather (John), six aunts and uncles and their families. His first eight years of school were at the Bessie School, with either four or two grades per room. 

In 1950, the family moved to Clinton, Oklahoma, where Bruce was the valedictorian of the high school class of 1954. He attended Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, where he received a B.A. degree in chemistry and mathematics in 1958, while serving as manager of the KWAR radio station. Bruce completed graduate work in physical chemistry at the University of Iowa and received a Ph.D. degree in 1962. After a post-doctoral research fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, he joined the chemistry faculty at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN.  

More importantly, Bruce married Rose Marie (Walk), the nurse he had met in Iowa City. Their wedding was in Grafton, Iowa, in 1963. Bruce and Rose Marie had their first child, John Eric, in Iowa City, before moving to St. Peter, MN, where their second child, Kristin Ann, was born. Bruce returned to Iowa City in 1966 for a temporary position in the Chemistry Department at the University of Iowa, before he was offered a tenure track position later that year. 

Bruce and Rose Marie’s second daughter, Ann Elizabeth, was born after they returned to Iowa City. He remained in the Chemistry Department, including two terms as Chair, and retired as Professor in 1999.

Bruce accepted a position as Senior Scientist with Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), a contractor for the US Department of Energy, to work on issues related to nuclear weapons facilities dismantlement. Due to a recurring kidney illness which required dialysis for two years, he could not maintain his vigorous travel schedule and retired from CTC in 2002. In 2009, Bruce received a distinguished Alumni Citation award from Wartburg College, in honor of his personal and professional achievements.

In Iowa City, Bruce volunteered with the Alliance on Mental Illness for 20 years, developing an extensive needs survey that would lead to building more housing for the mentally ill. In September 2005, he received a kidney transplant and was grateful for the anonymous donor who enabled him to have 19 more years of life.

Bruce’s family and good friends considered him one of the smartest people they’d ever met, with broad intellectual interests. He was an avid reader and storyteller, who enjoyed Bach, gardening, and crossword puzzles. He was humble, a great listener, and an easy conversationalist. He possessed a great sense of humor, led by his beloved Sven and Ole jokes. Bruce was admired for his integrity, thoughtfulness, sincerity, fairness, wisdom, and the way he met everyone with a smile. He met challenges with grit, determination, resilience, and hope. He loved his family, starting with “his Rose,” with all of his heart.

Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, sister Margaret Ann Osberg, eight aunts and uncles, and 14 cousins.  He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Rose Marie; his children, John (Kim Carr) Friedrich and granddaughter, Rose Marcella, of South Lake Tahoe, CA; Kristin Friedrich of Iowa City; Ann Friedrich of St. Paul, MN; brother-in-law Phil (Mary) Walk; nephews Steve Walk and Christian Walk; brother-in-law Richard Osberg; niece Jennifer Craft.

A funeral will be held at Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City, Iowa, at a future date. Updates on the service date and an opportunity to share a note can be found at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website @ www.gayandciha.com.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Wartburg College for their Science Equipment Endowment or to the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (bbrfoundation.org).