George Joseph Fritz

Other Events:

• Baptism: 27 Nov 1881, Greenock Township, Bruce, ON, Canada
• Death: 16 Jun 1948, Lumby, North Okanagan, BC, Canada

Notes:

Baptismal sponsors were John Ehleiser and Louisa Fritz. Confirmation sponsors were Henry Wilhelm and Mrs. John Waechter.

OBITUARY (Agatha Ann Catherine Fritz)

Mrs. Agatha Fritz of Fairview passed away on April 4, 1976 at the age of 91 in Fairview. Mrs. Fritz was born on April 15, 1884 at Mt. Carmel, Cavalier County, ND, USA. She arrived in Canada in 1909 coming on to the Peace River country in 1931.

At the time of her death Mrs. Fritz was residing with her son Earl in Fairview. She had been active in the Roman Catholic Women?s Auxiliary in Whitelaw. She was predeceased by her husband George J. Fritz in 1948 and two sons, Howard in 1944 and Herbert in 1962, as well as four brothers.

She is survived by four sons, Walter of Sicamous, BC; Earl of Fairview; George of Yellowknife, NWT; and Richard of Sicamous, five daughters, Mrs. Mabel White, Madison, Wisconsin; Mrs. May Thordeson, Edmonton; Mrs. Bertha Johnson, Port Alberni, BC; Mrs. Dorothy Patrick, Penticton, BC; and Mrs. Vera Dale, Madison, Wisconsin; as well as forty grand-children, fifty-eight great grandchildren, three sisters and two brothers.

Funeral services were held on April 9 at 10:30 a.m. in the Roman Catholic Church in Whitelaw. Father Engel officiated. Pallbearers were Joe Dettling, Gabe Wald, Jim Hellyer, Larry Fritz, Wilbur Graham, and Don Flack. Moran Funeral Home Ltd. was in charge of the arrangements.

HISTORY OF GEORGE JOSEPH FRITZ AND AGATHA ANN FRITZ

George Joseph Fritz and Agatha Ann Fritz were married October 24, 1904 at Mt. Carmel, North Dakota where they lived for a short while before moving to Langdon, North Dakota. It was at Langdon where their two sons, Robert William and Walter John were born.

In 1908 they moved to Shaunavon, Saskatchewan and filed on a homestead (SW 3-8-18) and pre-emption (SE 18-8-18) and continued to purchase more land (SE 3-8-18) from Thomas Madden. It was here that nine more children were born, four sons and five daughters, May, Mable, Bertha, Earl, Dorthy, Vera, Ted, Howard and Richard.

They were blown out of Shaunavon in 1931, the dust storms were terrible and ?no rain?, a person couldn?t grow a thing. The farmers found it getting extremely tough, so those who had the means to move decided to pull up stakes and go. The stories about the great Peace River country so lush and green appealed to many, and with that in mind the Fritz?s were Alberta bound.

A farmer, Ed Holemann, offered to take the family up in his grain truck, as he also wanted to explore this land. Fifteen made the adventurous trip, packed in the truck like sardines. Having a good sense of humor helped a lot and with the weather co-operating the trip took but little over a week.

Harold Flack (Mabel?s husband), Alvin Ellingson and Lenard Madden brought the horses up by covered wagon which took approximately one month.

Arriving by truck their first stop was Whitelaw. Here they found the old Patty Nash house empty. The largest house in town just waiting for the Fritz?s. It felt good to have a roof over head again, though one felt hemmed in by the many trees. It was an altogether different looking world than the open dried out prairies.

Known as the ?hungry thirties? work was hard to find and they resided in Whitelaw for only three months where the younger children started school with Beth Reid as their teacher. She taught Grades 1-8. Leaving Whitelaw the family moved to the two storey house belonging to Paul White, just along the shore of Last Lake.

The goings were rough for them along with many other settlers, but where there?s a will, there?s a way. It was remarkable how people fared out. Living off nature was a way of life for many. Earl would hunt for moose and Dick was good at snaring rabbits. Beans and prunes were cheap so no one starved. Grannie made homemade soap from moose tallow, lye and wood ashes.

The next move was to the George Paul place in the Blue Hawk district. This is now the present home site of Earl and Pyllis Coates.

It was in 1936 that they filed on their homestead in the Burnt Lee district, SE-8 and SW-9 Rg-1-84 West of the sixth meridian. Son Walter and wife May purchased NE-5-84-Rg-1 West of the sixth.

In 1940 Mr. Fritz returned to Lumly, British Columbia. Grannie stayed to carry on with the homestead. She and her son Dick worked at Thordarson Mills from 1944-1947. In the summer of 1948 they both obtained work in Burns Lake, British Columbia. It was in June of this year that Grandad passed away.
After a short visit back to Saskatchewan Grannie knew her heart was in the Peace and returned to Whitelaw where she bought her home. She worked at various jobs, mainly as a cook in Hotel Dieu and William Sydorko?s café.

In the early 60?s she sold her home to Mr. and Mrs. Konratt and went to reside with her son Earl and daughter-in-law Audrey in Fairview. Grannie never thought age to be a major factor in slowing down and proved this with her love to travel, always keeping in touch with her sons and daughters and their families. She lived an active social life up until the time of her death at the age of 92 years. She rejoiced over numerous grand children, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.

George married Agatha Ann Catherine Fritz on 24 Oct 1904 in Mount Carmel, Cavalier County, ND. Agatha (daughter of Lawrence Laurentius Fritz and Elizabeth Illerbrun) was born on 15 Apr 1885 in Cavalier County, ND; died on 4 Apr 1976 in Whitelaw, AB, Canada; was buried in Whitelaw, Grande Prairie, AB, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Kathrine May Esterby. Kathrine (daughter of Syvert Sjursen Esterby and Karen Mathiasdatter) was born on 7 Jul 1911 in Vanguard, SK, Canada; died on 5 Jul 1990 in Sicamous, Columbia-Shuswap, BC, Canada; was buried in Sicamous, BC, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

WHITE, Mable Elizabeth White, Mable Elizabeth (nee Fritz) was born in Shaunavon, SK on November 24th, 1909 and passed away in Kelowna, BC on July 17th, 2007 at the age of 97. She is pre-deceased by her parents George (Agatha) Fritz, her two husbands; Harold Flach and Lawrence White, her brothers; Howard, Herb, Ted, Walter, Earl, her sisters; May, Vera, Bertha, Dorothy. To mourn her loss, son Don (Marguerite), three grandchildren; Don, Diane, Gordon, five great-grandchildren; Colin, Robert, Benjamin, Nathan, Amanda, brother Dick (Flo) Fritz. To honor her request there will be no service, cremation, and inurnment next to Lawrence White in their Columbarium at Valleyview Funeral Home in Kelowna, BC. \"To My Loved Ones\" I\'d like the memory of me to be a happy one. I\'d like to leave an after glow of smiles when life is done. I\'d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways. Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days. I\'d like the tears of those who grieve to dry before the sun. Of happy memories that I leave when life is done. Condolences may be sent to the family at: www.valleyviewfuneralhome.com

Family/Spouse: Lawrence White. Lawrence was born about 1909. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Mr. Thorderson. Mr. was born about 1911. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Dorothy married Thomas Edgar Patrick on 29 May 1940 in Okanogan County, WA. Thomas was born on 12 Mar 1907; died on 1 Feb 1983. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

George married Thelma Elizabeth Doty on 23 Jul 1949 in Calgary, AB, Canada. Thelma (daughter of Ira James Doty and Isabell Corvan Gilchrist) was born on 11 Dec 1919 in Calgary, AB, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _MILT: Canadian Army - 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, R.C.I.C.

Notes:

Burial Information:

Cemetery:
BENY-SUR-MER CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY ; Calvados, France

Grave Reference:
XII. G. 6.

Location:
Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery is about 1 kilometre east of the village of Reviers, on the Creully-Tailleville-Ouistreham road (D.35). Reviers is a village and commune in the Department of the Calvados. It is located 15 kilometres north-west of Caen and 18 kilometres east of Bayeux and 3.5 kilometres south of Courseulles, a village on the sea coast. The village of Beny-sur-Mer is some 2 kilometres south-east of the cemetery. The bus service between Caen and Arromanches (via Reviers and Ver-sur-Mer) passes the cemetery. It was on the coast just to the north that the 3rd Canadian Division landed on 6th June 1944; on that day, 335 officers and men of that division were killed in action or died of wounds. In this cemetery are the graves of Canadians who gave their lives in the landings in Normandy and in the earlier stages of the subsequent campaign. Canadians who died during the final stages of the fighting in Normandy are buried in Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery. There are a total of 2048 burials in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery. There is also one special memorial erected to a soldier of the Canadian Infantry Corps who is known to have been buried in this cemetery, but the exact site of whose grave could not be located.

Family/Spouse: Edna Mae Jean Raven. Edna was born on 1 May 1939 in Plumas, Division No. 8, MB, Canada; died on 23 Jul 1990 in Revelstoke, Columbia-Shuswap, BC, Canada; was buried in Revelstoke, Columbia-Shuswap, BC, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]