Wilfred “Willie” George Fritz, age 89, of Prior Lake, Minnesota passed away on January 6, 2024, at St Francis hospital in Shakopee, Minnesota. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place on Friday, January 12 at St. Michael Catholic Church in Prior Lake (16400 Duluth St.) starting at 11am. Prior to the Mass, a time of visitation will be held from 9:30-10:45am. Willie will be laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at a later date.

Willie was born on September 11, 1934, in Lefor, North Dakota. He was a loving and dedicated family man, cherishing his wife, Georgia, for over 66 years. He adored his five children and made family activities a priority. Holidays were filled with food and memories, as Willie loved capturing moments with his family through photography.

An outdoors enthusiast, Willie enjoyed spending time with friends in North Dakota, engaging in hunting and fishing. After retiring, he and Georgia embarked on new adventures, traveling in their RV to winter destinations in Arizona and Texas. They were fortunate to explore Mexico and share precious moments with Willie’s siblings who were also traveling in the same areas.

Willie served his country with pride as a Private First Class in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956. He continued his service in the Army Reserve until 1962, receiving an honorable discharge. He often spoke of the friends he lost during his military service.

In his professional life, Willie achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first of his siblings to graduate from college. He earned a degree in Library Science and taught at both middle school and high school levels in North Dakota and Worthington, Minnesota. In North Dakota, he taught Industrial Arts, while in Worthington, he served as the lead librarian for many years at both junior and senior high schools. Prior to retiring, Willie taught financial management to gifted/talented students at the junior high level.

Willie found solace in his faith and worshipped at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Worthington, MN, and St. Michael Catholic Church in Prior Lake, MN.

Outside of his professional and family life, Willie had a passion for running and biking. He participated in various races, including the Twin Cities and Grandma’s Marathon. Bird watching and feeding birds brought him joy, as he loved observing them from his living room window. Additionally, he was known in his retirement neighborhood as the man on the scooter with dog treats in his pockets, always ready to share a kind gesture with his furry friends.

Willie is survived by his beloved wife, Georgia Fritz; and their five children, Dean (Kate) Fritz , Janet (Salvatore) Marino, Susan (Jim) Lee, Denise (Bob) Hovick, and John (Nell) Fritz. He will be remembered fondly by his grandchildren, Michelle (Jamar) Oliver, Jessica (Aaron) Wilson, Mariah (Jake) Laffey, Nathan Lee, Megan Hovick, Sam Hovick, Joseph Marino, Salvatore Marino, Molly Hovick and Keon Conely. Willie was also a cherished great-grandfather to Lucas Lukasiewicz, Keira Oliver, Cameron Wilson and Rylee Laffey.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Stephen and Mary Fritz; five brothers, Steve, Nick, Tony, Carl, and Joe Fritz; and five sisters, Eva Davin, Betty Deardorff, Marie Schuhrke, Helen Kuhn, Ann Schneider; and grandson Jacob Curtis Hovick.

Willie’s life was one of love, dedication, and cherished moments with his family. He will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

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