(The following information was submitted for a paid obituary.)
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 to www.schaetter.com.
Arrangements were under the direction of Schaetter Funeral Home.
