“We’ve moved.”
Pastor Ronald Alan Frizzell, age 64, of Wooster moved from his earthly home into his new and forever home of Heaven, finally to be with his dear friend, King Jesus, on Tuesday morning, May 5, 2020. He was surrounded by family who witnessed him speaking of already standing in the presence of the Trinity before he took his final breath.
Ron was born on June 15, 1955, in East St. Louis, Illinois, to George and Alfreda (Thacker) Frizzell. Ron became a follower of Christ at a very young age and was faithful all thru his childhood and teen years as he navigated life’s path on the way to adulthood. Ron was very active in sports and the arts as a student. He played Little League baseball and was the “lightest” member of his high school football team by 35 pounds - a fact he always got a kick out of sharing with friends. As a boy he took piano lessons and became a very accomplished pianist. He enjoyed playing classical pieces as well as a little jazz and even up to the present could sight read any piece you put in front of him. He was also active in his high school choir and was known for his high lyric tenor voice. All thru high school Ron was assigned the romantic lead part in the school musical productions at his alma mater of Collinsville High School in Collinsville, IL.
After high school Ron attended Mid-America Nazarene College (now University) as a pre-med student with the intention of becoming a surgeon. However after an all night wrestling match with God in the dorm prayer chapel, he said yes to a call of ministry on his life and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Ministry, graduating in 1977. Little did he know then that he would indeed later become a “spiritual” heart surgeon in his role as a very specific kind of pastor. He traveled every weekend and during the summers representing his school as a vocalist in The Continental Trio and The Liberty Singers, ministering in song as well as connecting with young people who were considering MANC as their college of choice.
While there he met Kathryn "Kathy" Anne Holmes. He said she smiled at him one night when he walked into the Student Action Center (a hang out spot with food to order and often live music) where she was singing a set of pop songs from the piano early in her freshman year. It was all over for him and after getting to know her a little, he asked her out on their first date. Four weeks later he proposed and she said yes. They actually began ministry together traveling and singing occasionally in revivals even before marriage. They were wed on New Year’s Eve of 1977 in Charlotte, N.C., 42 years and 4+ months ago. As a married couple they travelled and served as the road directors and members of the gospel singing group “Bridge” from 1983-84.
Ron was an amazing teacher and imparting to others what he had learned from God’s word in a classroom or congregational setting was a great love and passion of his life. Even in recent years of declining health, no matter how badly he might feel on any given day, there was nothing that was more life giving to him than to teach and train others in their Christian walk and ministries, which he did not only in his local church, but at conferences and churches elsewhere. Since 1995 his specialty was his God-given ability to walk people thru a healing process that brought freedom from rejection, trauma, addiction, demonic oppression - you name it - and see the power of God set them free to move on and grow in their spiritual journey and life in general. Ron has literally personally met with and helped thousands of people find wholeness and walk in it consistently as they move forward from the moment of their “deliverance” whether in his office or at the sanctuary altar, or in a ministry session over the phone. For him, helping others find freedom was not limited to any space or place because God is limitless and ever present. Watching the miracle of people finding freedom in Christ was the greatest reward of his life and something that he never got tired of or even used to... it was a beautiful fresh and new experience for him each time, even after 25 years of wholeness ministry.
In full time local ministry, Ron has served in the following churches: Crestview Nazarene (Fairview Heights, IL)... St. Louis Trinity Nazarene (Florissant, MO)... Oskaloosa (Iowa) Nazarene... Grace Nazarene (Nashville, TN... Kernersville (NC) Wesleyan... Grove City (OH) Nazarene (8 years)... Wooster (OH) Nazarene (17+ years).
After several months of not feeling well in late 2016 and early 2017 but thinking that the symptoms were easily explained, those symptoms culminated in a trip to the ER on a Sunday morning (March 12, 2017) in the middle of church that led to the discovery of stage IV colon cancer. But after the initial weeks of shock and adjusting to the new normal of conventional treatments coupled with holistic measures, Ron improved and got back to full time ministry and a new normal lifestyle. There were lots of healing touches and victories along the way even though he was never cancer free... God remained faithful and close through it all, to which he testified daily. For the next 3 years life and ministry continued though his physical body was certainly affected and limited by the disease and the treatments. He never let it stop him from fulfilling his calling. As often happens, just in the last few weeks, his condition took a drastic and rapid downward turn and things changed nearly overnight. He was so blessed that his family was able to quickly gather around from out of state to fellowship with him in his suffering to witness either a miraculous healing or his entrance into his heavenly home. In addition to his beloved wife, he is survived by his children, Steffany Dawn (Stephen) Gretzinger of Franklin, TN, and Sean Christian (Nicole) Frizzell of Longview, WA... a granddaughter, Wonder Grace Gretzinger (Franklin, TN)... a sister, Linda Sue (Edmer) Cornelsen of Lubbock, TX... nieces, Amanda Suzanne Cornelsen (son Cayden) and Sarah Noelle Cornelsen (daughter Kaitlynn) all of Lubbock, TX... one aunt, Carlyene Hayden of Highland, IL. His parents, George & Alfreda, were already awaiting his arrival into Heaven.
A celebration of Ron’s life will be held on Sunday morning, May, 17th, at 9:15 via livestream at Wooster Nazarene Church with a very limited group of family, friend, and colleague invitees due to the current quarantine status. It is the family’s desire to host an additional gathering later in the summer to accommodate anyone not able to attend this initial service due to the current social distancing limitations. Those details will be announced at a later date. To those closest to him, and to those whose lives have been changed by God’s touch through his ministry, no writing will ever be complete enough, nor any celebration big enough. Ron will be indescribably missed by all who knew and loved him... Heaven is unquestionably richer today.
Memorial contributions may be made in lieu of flowers toward either or both of two options: “The Chosen” Pay It Forward program... download “The Chosen” app and follow the prompts to help enable others around the world to watch the moving story of Jesus & His disciples at no cost to them and be exposed to the Gospel. And/or to the Wooster Nazarene Building Fund... log onto woosternaz.org to give electronically or contact the church office at 330-262-1471 for instructions.
(Custer-Glenn Funeral Home in Wooster is honored with serving the family. The memorial bio and contribution info was written by Ron’s wife, Kathy Frizzell. A private or public video or words of condolences may be shared with the family at www.custerglenn.com.)