Bishop Albert "Fritz" Frederick Mutti III

Albert Frederick Mutti III was born in Hopkins, Missouri on February 13, 1938, the son of Albert Frederick Mutti, Jr. and Phyllis M. Turner Mutti. All his life he was identified by the nickname, “Fritz.” His childhood was spent in the Northwest Missoui town, and he graduated Valedictorian of the Hopkins High School Class of 1956.

Bishop Mutti first enrolled at Iowa State University to study engineering but felt a call to the ministry and transferred to Central College (now Central Methodist University, Fayette, Missouri), where he completed an undergraduate degree in History and Philosophy in 1960. He earned a Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (Chicago, Illinois) in 1963, and the Doctor of Ministry from the Saint Paul School of Theology (Kansas City, Missouri) in 1975.

Fritz Mutti married Etta Mae McClurg, his high school sweetheart, on June 7, 1959, in Hopkins, Missouri. They were blessed with three sons, Timothy Allen, John Frederick, and Martin Kent.

Bishop Mutti provided a lifetime of service to the United Methodist Church. He was received in Full Connection in the Missouri West Conference in 1963. He began his full time ministry as pastor of the Union Star-Star Chapel-Oak Grove circuit, serving for two years before moving to Savannah, Missouri, where he became the founding pastor of Crossroads Ecumenical Cooperative Parish. For eight years, he was a member of the Missouri West Conference staff, serving as Director of Camping, Christian Education, Youth Ministries, and Conference Council Director. Other appointments included Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church Blue Springs as well as Superintendent of the Central District and the Kansas City North District.

Bishop Mutti was elected to the episcopacy by the South Central Jurisdictional Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1992 and assigned to the Kansas area. During his term as bishop, he regularly visited churches throughout the state, prioritized the concerns of rural communities and workers, and focused on improving Christian education. He held numerous leadership positions within the United Methodist Church and the Council of Bishops and worked for ecumenical cooperation among the churches, serving in various leadership roles in inter-faith organizations regionally and nationally. Committed to the global mission of the church, the Muttis traveled throughout the world, representing the United Methodist Church and establishing partner relationships. Bishop Mutti also was the author of numerous books and articles about Christian devotion.

As a result of the death of their sons Tim and Fred from AIDS related illnesses, Fritz and Etta Mae provided national and international leadership for HIV/AIDS education events and ministries through the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund. In a time when their beliefs were not widely accepted or supported within the church or society, they bravely advocated for a church policy of openness, hospitality, and inclusion for all persons. Their support was a comfort for LGBTQ+ Methodists, who were excluded from open church fellowship. They also co-authored Dancing in a Wheelchair (Abingdon Press, 2001), which tells the story of their family’s struggle with HIV/AIDS.

Bishop Mutti was honored with various awards, including honorary doctorates from Central Methodist University and Baker University and distinguished alumni awards from Central Methodist University and Saint Paul School of Theology. Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary established a scholarship in his honor.

Upon retirement in September 2004, Fritz and Etta Mae moved to Liberty, Missouri, and he served as Bishop-in-Residence at Saint Paul School of Theology for several years. In 2015, the couple moved to John Knox Village (Lee’s Summit, Missouri), where they established new friendships, engaged in volunteer activities, enjoyed following the Royals and Chiefs, and stayed in touch with family and many long-time friends.

Bishop Mutti was preceded in death by sons Timothy Allen (1960-1990), John Frederick (1962-1991), and Martin Kent (1965-2018). Etta Mae (b.1938) passed away on their 64th anniversary on June 7, 2023. He is survived by his sister Sue Sonner, granddaughter Siobhan Marie Perry (Jeff), several cousins, nieces and nephews, and many colleagues and friends.

Bishop Mutti’s celebration of life will be held at Woods Chapel United Methodist Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri on Friday, September 25, 2026. Visitation will begin at 10 am with the service of Death and Resurrection following at 11 am. He will be interred alongside his wife and sons at the White Chapel Memorial Gardens in Gladstone, Missouri at a private graveside service. The memorial service will be livestreamed at: https://www.woodschapelchurch.org/funerals.

To honor the memory and legacy of Bishop Mutti, the family suggests donations to one of the many organizations he supported in his lifetime: Central Methodist University; the Bishop Fritz Mutti Scholarship at the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary; the St. Paul School of Theology; the Marty Mutti Scholarship at Southwestern College; Woods Chapel United Methodist Church; and the United Methodist Global AIDS Committee. Woods Chapel UMC (4725 NE Lakewood Way, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64064) will facilitate the transfer of your contributions to the designated organizations.