Leonard F. Fritz

Leonard F. Fritz, age 84, passed away on Thursday, August 25, 2011, at the Becker-Shoop Center. He was born in Lismore, Minnesota, July 11, 1927, the seventh of ten children of the late Gregory and Margaret (Nee: Sassen) Fritz.

Leonard graduated from St. Adrian High School, Adrian, Minnesota. He served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1946 in the South Pacific. On January 31, 1952, in Fulda, Minnesota, he was united in marriage to Ethel Nemmers, who preceded him in death on December 17, 1974. He came to Racine in 1956 to work for the Racine Journal Times where he was employed as a typesetter and met his second wife. On September 16, 1976, at St. Joseph Catholic Church he was united in marriage to Verna (Nee: Blum) Kratochvil. He retired from S.C. Johnson Wax in 1991 after thirteen years of employment.

He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church. An avid sportsman and Packer fan Leonard enjoyed pheasant hunting, playing baseball, bowling and attending ball games around the city. Leonard always looked forward to coffee with the guys and his daughter. He will be dearly missed.

Survivors include his wife, Verna; son, Robert (Denise) Fritz of Union Grove; daughter, Linda (Christian) Lie of Racine; stepson, John (Susan) T. Kratochvil of Mount Pleasant; stepdaughter, Joy (Gilbert) Newman of CA; his grandchildren, Heather Borger, Sean (Alexis) Borger, Bobby Fritz, Elizabeth Lie, Catherine Lie, Brittany Kratochvil-Raphael; seven great-grandchildren; sisters, Mary Ann (Curly) Thompson, Virginia Dickmann; brother-in-law, Duane (Jane) Nemmers; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his seven brothers and sisters, Raphael, Esther, Colletta, Alice, Charlie, Ed and Sr. Elaine.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Monday, August 29, 2011, at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1533 Erie St., with Rev. Sean Granger officiating. Interment with full military honors will follow at West Lawn Memorial Park. Relatives and friends may meet with the family Sunday at the funeral home from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and Monday at church from 9:30 a.m. until time of Mass. Memorials to the Alzheimer’s Association, American Heart Association, or for Masses have been suggested.

A special thank you to all the caregivers at the Becker-Shoop Center for their loving and compassionate care.

MARESH-MEREDITH & ACKLAM FUNERAL HOME
803 Main St., Racine (262) 634-7888