Gene Fritz

Gene “Sparky” Fritz, age 81, of Mt. Carroll, Illinois, died Monday, December 20, 2010, at his home in Mt. Carroll. A visitation will be held from 4 to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 26, 2010, at the Frank – Law – Jones Funeral Home in Mount Carroll. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, December 27, also at the Frank – Law – Jones Funeral Home in Mt. Carroll. Burial will follow in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Mt. Carroll. Memorials may be directed to the Mt. Carroll Fire Department in Gene’s memory.
Gene was born November 6, 1929, in Lanark, Illinois, the son of Alva and Marguerite (Ferry) Fritz, and raised on their farm. He graduated from Lanark High School with the Class of 1947 and attended Electrical Trade School in Chicago, Illinois. Gene married Agnes Clancy in 1950. He later married Susan Ditsworth on April 22, 1978, in Lanark.
Gene moved to Mt. Carroll in 1950 and worked for Skelly Gas, Acker Chevrolet, and finally for Wayne Speer Electric, whose business he purchased in 1967 and ran for over forty years. He was at present working part time at Illowa Marine in Clinton, Iowa. Gene was an electrician for over fifty years, during which time he started many young men in an electrical career.
Gene was a member of the Pleasant Valley Church of God, was a former member of the Mason’s, and a volunteer fireman and assistant fire chief for the Mt. Carroll Fire Department for twenty – five years. He was an avid gardener and did canning and freezing of his produce. Gene was a great cook and all of the grandchildren loved Grandpa’s fried chicken. Gene also did a lot of wood working in his spare time and search – a – words with his four legged companions by his side. Gene enjoyed getting together with all ten of his children and twelve grandchildren, and will be greatly missed by all.
Gene is survived and lovingly remembered by his wife Susan Fritz of Mt. Carroll; six children, Valerie Remrey of Scottsdale, Arizona, Craig Fritz of Oakland Park, Florida, Marla Fritz Adams of Scottsdale, Arizona, Kerry Fritz of Boise, Idaho, Susan Fritz of Mt. Carroll, and Bradley (Carol) Fritz of Fulton, Illinois; four step children, Michelle Workman of Savanna, Illinois, Angela (Mike) Curtis of Mt. Carroll, Cheryl (Thad) Knirlberger of Ottowa, Illinois, and Tiffany Frederick of Dubuque, Iowa; twelve grandchildren; Gene was anxiously awaiting the birth of his first great grandchild; and one sister, Janet (Percy) Kleinschmidt of Glendale, Arizona.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Dorothy Royer.