Fritz Lanham

Fritz Lanham, former longtime city manager of Baytown and a widely respected figure in local government circles in Texas, died peacefully on December 20, 2015. He was 88 and had battled Alzheimer's disease for a decade.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Marceine Lanham, and by his two sisters, Helen Collins and Elouise Phelan, and his brother, W.T. Lanham. He is survived by his three children and their spouses – John Fritz Lanham and wife Kellye Sanford, Leslie Hernandez and husband Paul Hernandez, and Debra Sears and husband Kyle Sears. He is also survived by his granddaughters Rebecca Sears and Hannah Sears and by numerous nephews and nieces.

Fritz was born in 1927 on a small family farm in Lingleville, Texas, the youngest of four children. Though his parents, William T. Lanham and Ida Williams Lanham, had only an eighth-grade schooling, they emphasized the importance of education, and all four children attended college. They also imbued Fritz and his siblings with a strong work ethic, respect for honesty, integrity, and decency, public spiritedness, and compassion for others, all of which distinguished Fritz's character his entire life.

After graduating from high school in the waning days of World War II, Fritz joined the Army and in November 1945 was ordered to Japan as part of the American Occupation Army. This proved to be a development of momentous importance in his life.

Through his work in civil affairs, first as a GI and then as a civilian employee of the Occupation Government, he developed the interest in public service and local government that became his life's work. Also during his time in Japan he met and fell in love with another civilian Army employee, Marceine Vandaveer. After a joy-filled courtship, they were married on March 4, 1950.

Returning to the United States, Fritz enrolled at Texas Tech, where he majored in economics. After graduating he earned a master's degree in public administration at the University of Texas. During these years he was fortunate in having mentors in Lubbock city government, including city managers Steve Matthews and H.P. Clifton, and at UT, in Professor Lynn Anderson. Fritz credited these men with encouraging him at crucial junctures, and as he rose in his profession he sought to return the favor, mentoring younger men and women interested in city government.

In 1956 Fritz was named city manager of the small Panhandle town of Tulia. Two years later he returned to Lubbock as assistant city manager. Then in 1963 he was named Baytown's city manager. That marked the beginning of a 23-year relationship with the people and municipal government of Baytown, interrupted only by a three-year stint in Austin as executive director of the Department of Community Affairs for Gov. Preston Smith.

Major accomplishments as Baytown city manager (1963-1969; 1972-1989) included: construction of a new city hall and community center; creation of the Baytown Area Water Authority and city water treatment plan, which effectively halted subsidence in Baytown; and development of a robust parks and recreation system. Fritz took particular pride in the growth during his tenure of Sterling Municipal Library.

In 1995 The Baytown Sun named Fritz Citizen of the Year for his contributions to the city. He served as president of the Texas City Management Association for 1983-84, and in 2001 TCMA named him a Distinguished Member, one of only six people to have received that honor.

After retiring from the City of Baytown, Fritz and Marceine intensified their schedule of trips, which included visits to most of the major countries of Europe and to China. In 1990 they returned to Japan for the first time since 1950 and reacquainted themselves with the haunts of their youth.

Fritz continued his life of public service during a second career, from 1989 to 2000, as executive director of the United Way of Baytown.

Among Fritz's adult hobbies was growing roses, at which he became adept. From rose beds that covered most of the backyard of the family home he happily supplied flowers to friends and acquaintances for special occasions and for events at Grace United Methodist Church, which he and Marceine attended faithfully for 35 years and generously supported with their gifts.

In his last years he was blessed with the companionship of Betty Sue Houser.

In a personal memoir he wrote for his family in 2005, Fritz said, ""While I haven't become wealthy in worldly possessions – which was never a goal of mine – I look back on my life with pride and satisfaction…. My modest beginnings led me in the direction of public service and gave me a level of cultural sensitivity that I may not have otherwise had.""

He leaves behind a reputation for decency and thoughtfulness. He was a good husband and a loving father to his three children, who have learned life-defining values from his example.

The family would like to thank Simetah Williams and the staff in the memory care unit at Brookdale Spring Shadows for their compassionate care of Fritz during his final years.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 9, 2016, at Cedar Bayou Grace United Methodist Church, 2714 Ferry Road, Baytown, Texas 77520. A lunch reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests that you make a donation in Fritz's name to Sterling Municipal Library: Attn: Memorials and Honorariums, or to the United Way of Greater Baytown Area and Chambers County.