Herbert Carl Fritz

Dr. Herbert C. Fritz, 95, Decatur, died Friday, August 23. There will be a private service, for the immediate family, with no visitation. Memorials: First United Methodist Church, Decatur Memorial Hospital, or St. Mary’s Hospital.

Dr. Fritz was born May 3, 1918, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Dr. Carl Fritz and Edna Lauenstein Fritz. He graduated from Mascoutah, Illinois, High School and received BA and MD degrees from Washington University in St. Louis.

In 1943 he married Margery Starr, daughter of Dr. George Starr and Pattie Green Starr.

After an internship, assistant residency and residency in Internal Medicine at St. Louis City Hospital, he served as a Captain in the U.S. Medical Corps. He was Chief of Medicine at the 183rd General Hospital, Anchorage, Alaska, and at Fairbanks, Alaska. One of his memorable days was when he had the privilege of giving General Eisenhower a tour of the hospital.

Following an Internal Medicine fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine in 1948 and 1949, he and his family moved to Decatur, where he practiced Internal Medicine until his retirement in 1987.

Herb was a member of Phi Beta Pi Medical fraternity, American Medical Association, and Macon County Medical Society, and he was on the staff of Decatur Memorial Hospital, where he served as Medical Staff president, and St. Mary’s Hospital. He was a member of First United Methodist Church and served on the boards of The Bank of Findlay and Northtown Bank.

After retirement, he and his wife traveled extensively. He enjoyed bridge and became an ACBL Life Master in duplicate bridge.

He was preceded in death by his parents and only sister.

Surviving are his wife of 69 years; daughter Janet Early (Ed) of Charlotte Court House, Virginia; sons Dr. Richard Fritz (Nancy) of Decatur, Dr. Robert Fritz (Kate) of Roswell, Georgia, and Dr. Randall Fritz (Dorothea) of Rochester, Minnesota; grandchildren Anne Jost-Fritz (Jan), Julie Fritz (Travis), Becky Owen (Andrew), Melissa Early, Peter Fritz and Carolyn Fritz; great-grandson Felix Jost-Fritz; one nephew, Bill Starr.

Herb was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He will surely be missed.