Blanche Fritz

Blanche Fritz, 78, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, formerly of Paton, Iowa died Monday, February 15, 2016.

A Celebration of Life was held Monday, Feb. 22 at Salem United Methodist Church in Paton, with words of comfort given by Rev. David Arulnathan.  A family reflection was given by Carl Fritz.  Danille Curtis was the accompanist and the congregational hymn was “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”  Recorded music “In This Very Room” and “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” were played.  Serving as casket bearers were Dave Cunningham, Rick Rittgers, Bob Peacock, Pat Cunningham, Doug Tourte and George Walker.  Interment was at Paton Township Cemetery in Paton.  A luncheon and fellowship followed the interment at the Shriver Community Center.

Blanche LaRue (Lightfoot) Fritz, daughter of Harry and Katherine (Enders) Lightfoot, was born September 27, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois.  She died at her home at Brookdale Assisted Living in Hillsborough, New Jersey on February 15, 2016 at the age of 78.  Blanche began her childhood on the family farm near Paton.  During WWII, her family moved to Orange, Texas where her father worked as a welder in the naval shipyards.  In 1943, Blanche’s family moved to Chicago where she began school.  Blanche spent her childhood years in Chicago and in Paton where she graduated from Paton High School in 1955.

Blanche was united in marriage to Wayne Eugene Fritz on November 24, 1956 at the Methodist Church in Paton.  They are the parents of two children, Anne LaRue and Carl Eugene.  They lived and farmed in the Paton/Gowrie area for 45 years.   Blanche was active in her church and enjoyed traveling, camping, skiing, genealogy, sewing and spending winters in Mesa, Arizona.   After retiring from farming, Blanche and Wayne moved to Flagstaff, Arizona in 2002 and in 2010 moved to Mesa, Arizona.  In 2015, they moved to Hillsborough, New Jersey to be close to family.

 Blanche is survived by her husband, Wayne; son, Carl and daughter-in-law, Patricia of Hillsborough, New Jersey; grandchildren, Kevin and Kathleen Fritz; many friends and relatives whom she cherished.  She was preceded in death by her daughter, Anne; parents, Harry and Katherine Lightfoot and her brother John Lightfoot.

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home,  www.sliningerschroeder.com.

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