Richard Fritze

Mr. Richard Tiemann Fritze of Hoover, Alabama passed away on Thursday, September 26th, 2013, following a brief illness. He was 81. Richard was born to Annie Corinne and Lucius Fritze on April 6, 1932 in Oak Park, Illinois. A devoted husband, loving father, and beloved grandfather, Richard is survived by his cherished wife of 59 years, Gwendolyn Mason Fritze; his four children, Russell Fritze (Terri) of Bossier City, LA; Ronald Fritze (Cheryl) of Mountain Brook, AL; Rebecca Settles (Mark) of Flat Rock, AL; Amy Stewart (Clay) of Waverly, AL; and seven cherished grandchildren, Katie Fritze Marden (Bradley), Robert and Patrick Fritze, Adam and Tyler Settles, and Sara and Kaitlyn Stewart. Richard graduated from Glen Ellyn High School, Glen Ellyn, Illinois in 1949. He attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, where he was a varsity athlete on the University's swim team and a loyal member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Following graduation, Richard joined the United States Air Force as a Second Lieutenant and went on to pilot B-25 bombers. In civilian life, Richard worked in various endeavors, including his work from 1969-1981 as co-owner of Alabama Machinery Company, a John Deere Construction Machinery dealership for Central Alabama. Throughout his professional career, Richard enjoyed several other successful business ventures in Alabama, including his work with Nextran Truck Center, a Mack Truck dealership, where he retired in 2006 after 22 years of service. Richard was an active member of Saint Mark's Methodist Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. His memorial service will be held at Saint Mark's on Sunday, September 29 at 3:00p.m. with visitation from 2-3 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Saint Mark's Building Fund in Richard's honor. "Well done, good and faithful servant." ----Matthew 25:23