Kathryn J. Fritz

Kathryn J. (Ritchey) Fritz died peacefully after a long illness, surrounded by her family at her home in West Branch on January 16, 2011. She was born in Reading, Michigan on July 18, 1926, to Carl and Alice (Coulter) Ritchey. Her family moved to the West Branch area when she was in middle school. She graduated from West Branch High School in 1944. On June 30,1945 she married Harry S. Fritz at St. Joseph (now Holy Family) Catholic Church. In addition to raising 12 children, Kathryn worked in retail sales and at Ogemaw Heights High School. Her hobbies included sewing, knitting, quilt making, bowling, playing cards, and reading. She was very active in St Anne's Guild and the Council of Catholic Women (CCW), as well as being an altar server and Eucharistic minister in the Catholic Church. She served 37 years on the Klacking Township Board, was a member of the Ladies Farm Bureau and Ogemaw District Library Board in Rose City. She was a 4-H sewing and knitting leader. Kathryn is survived by her 12 children: Sharon Fritz, Linda (Joe) Hintz, Michael (Aimee) Fritz, Gordon Fritz and Donald (Carla) Fritz all of West Branch, Roger (Cindy) Fritz of Standish, Paul (Donna) Fritz of West Branch, Alice (Dale) Kenworthy of Huntington, IN, Bryan (Jan) Fritz, Terry (Rae) Fritz both of West Branch, Jill (Joel) Randolph of Aiken, SC and Lori (Ray) Shelley of Rose City. She is also survived by 23-grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Harry, her parents, a brother, Glenn Ritchey, and two sisters-in-law; Gladys (Fritz) Kenworthy and Mary Ritchey. Visitation at the Steuernol & McLaren Funeral Home in West Branch will be on Friday, January 21, 2011 from 1-9 p.m. with a CCW Rosary at 2:00 p.m. and a Scripture Service at 7:00 p.m. The Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday at Holy Family Catholic Church, Klacking Creek,West Branch. Kathryn will lie in state at the church beginning at 10:00 a.m. Fr. Patrick Maher will officiate. Burial will be in the spring at Holy Family Cemetery, West Branch. Memorial Contributions may be made to the St. Joseph Catholic School Endowment Fund, 961 W. Houghton Ave, West Branch, MI 48661 or to Hospice of Helping Hands, 335 E. Houghton Ave., West Branch, MI 48661.