Aaron Fritz
November 25, 1934 ~ May 24, 2013
Aaron Fritz passed away May 24, 2013
at Kindred Hospital in San Antonio.
Aaron was born Nov. 25, 1934 in
Fredericksburg, Texas. He was the son of Edmund Fritz and Anna Behrends Fritz.
He was an active member of Cherry Mountain School and a member of St. Mary’s
Church. Aaron grew up on a farm and ranch and attended school at Cherry
Mountain School and St. Mary’s Catholic School. On Oct. 12, 1957, he married
Evelyn Riba from Stonewall.
In the early 50’s, Aaron worked with
an out-of-town construction company. He then became employed by True Value and worked
on small engines. He later worked for Elle Kramer doing tractor repair and
Benno Wise, working with irrigation and pump repair. In the 60’s he opened his
own welding shop. In the 70’s he started his own heavy equipment construction
company and later ran it with his sons.
Some of his contributions to his home
town were to help put down concrete on the first phase of the original Hill
Country Memorial Hospital. At Community Savings and Loan, now called BVVA
Compass Bank, he did the welding and concrete work.
In Kerrville, he did the demolition
work on the Blue Bonnet Hotel and the Old Schreiner Bank, where now the main
bank for Bank of America and the Schreiner One Center now stands on Water
Street.
He also helped pour the concrete for
the now Chase Bank where he left his mark by throwing change into the concrete
when it was being poured. He told his wife, Evelyn, that way he would always
have money in that bank!
Aaron did many things, anything
from land clearing, demolition, dams, State Highway Work, Ranch Roads, and a
little of everything else that helped make a living.
In the early 2000’s Aaron tried to
start retiring and started farming and ranching full time. He loved his deer,
cattle, sheep, plowing the fields, hunting and fishing. The one constant thing
that he needed though was to have his wife, Evelyn, by his side helping or
watching, that was when he was the happiest.
In September of 2012, Aaron was
diagnosed with lung cancer. He was willing to fight every step of the way to
try and beat this disease. He took chemo and had a great response. After
the first three treatments, the tumor was half the size. They later added
radiation treatments, in addition to the chemo treatments. In the end, Aaron
was cancer free. But his body had been worn down with all the treatments, and
complications set in with inflammation. His body did not respond to the
steroids. He was not ready to go, but God thought he had fought long enough. He
will be greatly missed.
Aaron is survived by: his wife, Evelyn
Riba Fritz; three sons and spouses: Kevin and Susan Fritz, Quinn and Kimberly
Fritz, and Darin Fritz, all of Fredericksburg; four grandchildren: Karin
Fritz, Kody and Keli Fritz, Katie Fritz, and Colton Fritz; one
step-great-grandchild, Jillian, and extended family Zeferino Suarez, Janell
Stevens-Allison, Scott Stevens, Brady Allison; one sister, Dortha Fae, Mrs.
Rudy Staudt, and two nieces, Glenda and Mike George, Renee and Carl Scott, and
one nephew, Sherwin Staudt, and six great-nieces and nephews.
Visitation and a rosary service were
held Monday evening, May 27, at Schaetter Funeral Home.
A funeral mass was celebrated Tuesday,
May 28, at 10 a.m., at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Msgr. Enda McKenna
officiating. Mary Ann Murchison was the pianist; Donna Durst, the vocalist and
Colton Fritz, the scripture reader.
Graveside services and interment
followed in the St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.
Pallbearers included Colton Fritz,
Kody Fritz, Zeferino Suarez, Gary Jost, John Cox, Mark Land, Anthony Rode and
Mike George.
Honorary pallbearers were Carol
Walker, Scott Stevens and Brady Allison.
Memorials may be made to Cherry
Mountain School, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Gillespie County 4-H,
Fredericksburg FFA, or to the charity of choice.
Expressions
of sympathy may be sent towww.schaetter.com.
Arrangements were under the direction
of Schaetter Funeral Home.
