Cliff Frey

Cliff Frey, age 46, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, May 15, 2026. 

A Time of Gathering will be held from 4:00 - 7:00 PM on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, 4565 Pleasant St SE, Prior Lake, MN 55372. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM with additional gathering time from 10:00 - 11:00 AM on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 at Hosanna Church, 9600 163rd St W, Lakeville, MN 55044. Please enter through Door 5.

An additional Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM with Gathering from 10:00 - 11:00 AM on Friday, June 12, 2026 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 549 E Mt Hope Ave, Lansing, MI 48910.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and will be donated by the family to the Autism Society of America.

Cliff was born on March 4, 1980 to Clifford Frey, Jr. and Laura (Frey) Halbakken and raised in Lansing, Michigan.

Cliff will be missed by loving wife, Jen (Mangan) Frey, son, Joseph Frey, daughter, Allison “Alli” Frey of Savage, Minnesota. Mother, Laura (Frey) Halbakken, father, Cliff Frey, Jr., step-father, Marvin Halbakken, Jr., sister, Tosha (Frey) Brisbo of East Lansing, Michigan. Step-brothers and step-sisters from Minnesota. Mother-in-law, Irene Mangan and brother-in-law, Sean Mangan of Prior Lake, Minnesota. Nieces, aunts, uncles and cousins, along with life long friend, Joel Potter.

Cliff graduated from Lansing Eastern High School in 1998. While there, he excelled in varsity swimming and played softball. He attended Lansing Community College and their firefighting academy, where he earned his degree and became a firefighter and EMS with Lansing Township Fire Department.

In 2004, he moved to Minneapolis, MN to join their poison control center and began his college days at St. Paul’s college, earning certificates in operational tech, surgical tech, and found his calling as a respiratory therapist. After graduation, he then switched positions at Abbott Northwestern Hospital to Respiratory Therapist and continued there until his passing. He loved working with and serving people. That was his true passion.

Those who knew and loved Cliff know what a compassionate, loving and funny person he was. He loved a practical joke and was a fun-loving, silly guy who loved a family tradition of having Cap’n Crunch together at midnight. His humor and bear hugs will be greatly missed.

Cliff enjoyed being a sports fan of Michigan State University, the Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers, and the Lansing Lugnuts minor league baseball team, where he was their mascot “Big Lug” the summer of 2000. He often mentioned this as the best job he ever had! His time in Minnesota helped make him a Minnesota Vikings, Wild, and Twins fan as well.

In June of 2023, he married the love of his life and soulmate, Jennifer “Jen” Mangan. Together, they built the deeply meaningful life and family they had always dreamed of, grateful for every moment spent by each other’s side.

Cliff was a family man, loving nothing more than spending time with those he loved, Especially Jen and his children. They were his world. He was a faithful servant of God and enjoyed attending Hosanna Church together with his family.

“Ontario” Cliffie, rest now.