Thomas Fritsch, a Hamilton citizen of the year, dies at 83
Apr. 25—Thomas Fritsch was not only "a great man of faith," but "a true gentleman," said Hamilton Mayor Pat Moeller.
The Hamilton born-and-raised Hamilton Catholic High School graduate dedicated a significant portion of his life to the betterment of the community, highlighted by receiving the Janet Clemmons Community Service Award from Supports to Encourage Low-income Families (SELF) agency in 2005 and the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 2008.
He died in his Tampa, Florida, home on April 17. He was 83.
"He will always be remembered as a man of compassion for his creation and fundraising for the Maureen Fritsch Cancer Fund," said Moeller, referencing his first wife, Maureen Fritsch, who died from cancer complications in 2002. "He was a Hamilton citizen of the year, and he represented what that award means: Hamilton values and helping his fellow citizens."
After Maureen's death, Fritsch established the Maureen L. Fritsch Cancer Assistance Fund in 2003 in her memory to assist cancer patients with medical costs.
During a 2008 interview ahead of being honored as Hamilton's citizen of the year, Fritsch said the fund in Maureen's honor was "a calling from God, and you just act on those calls."
"I had the best doctors, the best insurance in the world, and she still struggled, especially in her last year. And I said, 'Man, something really has to be done for people who don't have insurance.'"
The cancer fund was why he earned the Janet Clemmons award, said SELF Executive Director Jeffrey Diver.
"He was trying to find a way to make cancer medications more affordable for families that were struggling," he said.
Fritsch's death is "tough for the community when you have such outstanding community members who have given so much of their time and effort to many causes," said Diver. "Thankfully, there will be others that will be inspired by his by his deeds, that will fill the void of his passing."
In addition to honors by the Hamilton Chamber and SELF, Fritsch was named Outstanding Citizen by the Father Butler Council Knights of Columbus Chapter 968 and was the grand marshal in for the Hamilton Fourth of July and Badin Homecoming parades.
Fritsch, who had a 32-year career with UPS and retired in 1995, would go on to remarry in 2007 to Mary Kathryn (nee Senger) Fritsch.
Fritsch was an active member of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Tampa, and involved with St. Peter in Chains Church and Badin High School in Hamilton. Additionally, he volunteered for various organizations, including Meals on Wheels Butler County, Bluffton Self Help, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Peter In Chains bingo, and was a CYO Youth sports coach.
He was a season ticket-holder for the Cincinnati Bengals and Xavier Musketeers, and was a fan of the NHL team Tampa Bay Lightning.
His family said, "He had a great sense of humor and enjoyed joking with others and spending time with friends. Tom cherished his family and was especially proud of his granddaughters. Tom was a man of great faith and was very involved with the Catholic Church."
In addition to his wife, Fritsch is survived, among others, by his daughter, Tara Lynn (Martin) Schmidt of Tampa; sons, Tom of Mason and Brian (Kim) of Hamilton; step-daughter, Miranda Hoffman of Middletown; granddaughters, Hannah Marie Fritsch and Emma Elizabeth Fritsch; step-grandson, Kyle Schmidt; sisters, Elizabeth McGrath and Marcia Melton; brother, Stephen (Maureen) Fritsch; sister-in-law, Peggy Fritsch.
A visitation is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Brown Dawson Flick Funeral Home, 1350 Millville Ave., Hamilton. A Knight's of Columbus service will take place near the end of the visitation at 7:30 p.m. On Wednesday, a prayer service is planned for 9:30 a.m. at St. Peter in Chains Catholic Church, 382 Liberty Ave., Hamilton, with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow. He will be interred at St. Stephen Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to St. Vincent de Paul, Badin High School, or the Maureen L. Fritsch Cancer Assistance Fund, c/o The Hamilton Community Foundation.
