Fr. Kenan Freson, OFM, 86, passes away in Ohio
The Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe is sad to share that Fr. Kenan Freson, OFM, 86, of Cincinnati, died on Oct. 26, 2026.
As a Franciscan for 67 years, Fr. Kenan was known and loved as a gentle soul in the spirit of St. Francis. Like the founder of the Franciscans, Fr. Kenan saw God revealed in nature and he spent countless hours caring for plants, shrubs and trees with the labor of his hands and the joy of his heart.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Seven Acres Senior Living, 476 Riddle Road, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45220. Reception of the body and visitation will begin at 10 a.m., followed by a Mass of Resurrection at 11 a.m.
Fr. Kenan was born on Sept. 22, 1940, to Leonard and Antoinette (née Huetten) Freson, in St. Bernard, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati founded by German immigrants in the 19th century. His father was a bookkeeper, and although Fr. Kenan followed his own path, he shared his father’s talents for fiscal matters.
At the age of 18, Fr. Kenan answered God’s call to religious life as a Franciscan. He professed simple vows on Aug. 16, 1959, solemn vows on Aug. 16, 1962 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 2, 1967.
His studies included earning a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Duns Scotus College in Southfield, Michigan and a Master of Arts in Religious Studies from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
During his first 14 years as a friar, he formed students in the faith at Roger Bacon High School in Cincinnati. He also served as assistant business manager there. Since he excelled in numbers and finance, his next appointment was treasurer of the legacy St. John the Baptist Province, a role he held for 25 years. During those years he modernized accounting practices and ensured the province's finances remained secure. He later served as the community’s liaison to sponsored ministries, participating on several boards, and chairing the audit committees.
Fr. Kenan spent his final active years at St. Anthony Shrine tucked into a wooded stretch of Cincinnati where he enjoyed tending the property, gardening and especially planting trees to beautify the grounds and to experience the glory of God's creation. He planted over 200 trees there. He also said planting trees helped him to “practice patience.”
“It’s like having a pet,” he recalled in a 2012 interview. “All trees need watering the first couple of years.” When you plant a tree, he added, “You make a commitment.”
Fr. Kenan also assisted at several nearby parishes, including St. Vivian and St. Bartholomew, for 35 years. Parishioners like Amy Hagedorn, said he often referred to himself as “a humble Franciscan.” A special family tradition for Amy was taking a photo of her three daughters with Fr. Kenan each Christmas. When he retired from the parish, her husband Gary, a 1974 graduate of Roger Bacon High School, compiled a book of Christmas photos as a gift for Fr. Kenan.
When reflecting on his years of serving at the two parishes, he said, “The pastors were always very welcoming, and I got to know so many of the people. The parishioners really embraced me, and I always enjoyed being there with them.”
Fr. Kenan is survived by his friar brothers of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a brother Carl Freson in Virginia and two second cousins, Margaret Ann Braun of Alexandria, Kentucky, and Nick Combs of Verona, Kentucky.