Daniel Funeral Home & Cremation Service

Thomas C. Fritz

June 27, 1937 – March 26, 2014

A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2014 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud for Thomas C. Fritz, age 76, of St. Cloud, who passed away on Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at Quiet Oaks Hospice House in St. Augusta. Reverend LeRoy Scheierl will officiate. Entombment of the urn will take place in Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud with military honors.

Family and friends may call from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud and after 9:00 a.m. on Saturday at the church. Parish prayers will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.

Tom was born on June 27, 1937 in St. Cloud to Harold and Pauline (Weis) Fritz. He served honorably in the U.S. Navy. Tom married Rosemary J. Steiner on August 27, 1960 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud. He worked for the Star Tribune all his life, retiring in 1999 as a Regional Area Manager.

He is survived by his wife; children, Jolee (Wayne) Miller, Jackie (Steve) Sinjem, Kevin Fritz, grandchildren, Gus and Mollie Miller, Chelsea, Natalia, Stephanie Sinjem, and Aarin and Madison Fritz; sister and brothers, Lavonde Theisen, Bill (Kathy) Fritz, and Tim (Marilyn) Fritz; sisters-in-law, Carol Fritz, Peggy Fritz and Virginia Fritz; and many nieces and nephews.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents; sister and brothers, Betty Gelle, Bob, Ken, and Dave.

A Special Thank You to all the Health Care Providers who have helped Tom and his family during his 15 year battle with cancer.


Guestbook

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I thought I would write a few words about Tom and my admiration for him. Tom would probably describe himself as an unremarkable, everyday guy. This view is both correct and incorrect. On looking back on a life well-lived I am so impressed by the remarkable way he lived it. He lost his dad when he was around 5 years old. His mom Pauline was pregnant at the time with her eighth child. As Tom and his siblings grew up their mom was often at work in order to put food on the table. They had very little money and the kids had plenty of opportunities to go down the wrong path. Tom excelled. He attended St. Cloud Cathedral on an athletic scholarship. He was All-State in football and was a great all-around athlete. I learned just how great he was when we were going through old pictures a few years ago. Tom played basketball in high school, hockey was not his main sport in the winter. But we found a photo of bunch of ragtag kids in hockey pads. They were around pee-wee or bantam age. Tom looked at the photo and said he and some of his teammates used magazines for shin pads. Then he mentioned they lost to Warroad in the state championship game! Tom was one of John Gagliardi’s earliest recruits at St. John’s. Even after Tom tore knee ligaments Coach Gagliardi still wanted him at St. John’s. Tom decided it was time to get on with life, though, and joined the navy. Tom served on a navy destroyer. He had the important job of being the ship’s “talker”. When the captain gave an order it was Tom’s job to communicate it over the intercom to the crew. When someone mentioned to Tom that he had an important job he shrugged, then smiled and said that when the ship left port “they never left without me”. When out of the navy Tom married the love of his life and he and Rosie started a family. Tom began a long and successful career with the Star-Tribune. As the years went by Tom passed on several promotion offers because it would have meant moving the Fritz family. He and Rosie wanted to raise their kids in St. Cloud. It comes as no surprise that some of Tom’s lifelong best friends were the ones he grew up with. Tom and Rosie reveled in the athletic and academic successes of Kevin, Jolee and Jackie. Tom was also a successful and much admired coach for St. Cloud youth sports. Tom was never happier then when he was with his grand kids, especially when they were up at the cabin. When Tom was restless and uncomfortable in his last days his grandson Gus was one of the very few who could sooth him and help him rest comfortably. Tom bore his 15 year battle with cancer with courage and grace. He was always most concerned about how it was affecting Rosie and the rest of the family. Tom would most likely be uncomfortable hearing these words. He would say any accomplishment he had was mostly due to the support and influence of his mom and Rosie, two women who possessed unshakeable faith and character of steel. Tom is now with his mom and many other beloved family members, looking forward to the day when we’ll all be together again.

Love you so much…can’t believe you are gone…will miss you forever. Watch over us and say hi to my dad.

I had the privlege of working with Tom and we quickly became friends. He was a wonderful human being and always had a positive attitude, even at the end. His last conversation with me ended with Tom saying “Pray for me. The end is near and I’m going to be with The Lord”. I am sure he is.

To the family of Thomas Fritz,
I am sorry for your loss. May you find comfort in knowing that “Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; He saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34;18) With sympathy,

Services

Schedule Details

A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2014 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in St. Cloud for Thomas C. Fritz, age 76, of St. Cloud, who passed away on Wednesday, March 26, 2014, at Quiet Oaks Hospice House in St. Augusta. Reverend LeRoy Scheierl will officiate. Entombment of the urn will take place in Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud with military honors.

Family and friends may call from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Friday at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud and after 9:00 a.m. on Saturday at the church. Parish prayers will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home.