Obituary of Audrey Christina Fritz

November 29, 1921 – Edmonton, Alberta

January 12, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

Audrey Christina Fritz, beloved wife of the late Earl Lawrence Fritz, of Calgary, AB, passed away on Friday, January 12, 2024, at the age of 102 years.

Her loss is as devastating to her family and everyone who knew her, as if she had been a much younger woman.

Audrey was one of two children of Wilson (who everyone knew as Wis) and Effie Matchett. It was unusual in those days to have only two children and Audrey always had a close and loving relationship with her relatives as a result. Her younger brother Bob and his wife Elsie were always the closest friends of Audrey and her husband Earl. She lived within eyesight of her parents after they moved into town from the farm and numerous aunts and uncles lived within a couple of blocks.

Audrey’s early life was quite idyllic despite the depression. Her father operated a threshing crew that took care of the bountiful Peace country harvests and Audrey would often bake a dozen pies at a time in the family woodstove. She carried on that love of baking for most of her adult life, with two deep freezers in the basement; one full of meat and the other full of her amazing baking, including butter tarts and Nanaimo bars.

She was of the generation who rode a horse to school, but when high school came along, her father rented a house in the booming metropolis of Whitelaw, AB, (which according to Wikipedia now has a population of 110 people). One day she had baked a pie and set it out on the windowsill to cool and someone swiped it. It turned out to have been taken by her grandfather, Moses Paul, who obviously knew something about her baking talents.

While she was living in Whitelaw, AB, Audrey developed a friendship with an older woman with a wicked sense of humour by the name of Agatha Fritz. She then went off to Edmonton, AB, to work in a factory producing powdered eggs for the war effort. After the war and after receiving training as a hairdresser, Audrey returned to Whitelaw. There, her friend Agatha introduced her to her tall, dark, and handsome son, Earl. Audrey met the love of her life and nothing, not even the catastrophic automobile accident that nearly took Earl’s life, could halt their love affair.

Earl and Audrey raised five children in a 1,200 square foot, one-bathroom, house close to downtown in Fairview, AB, about 25 km away from Whitelaw. The second bathroom came when Earl moved his mother in to live with them and he developed the basement to house her. Through it all, Audrey maintained a welcoming home. It was completely common for people to drop in on a Saturday night and Audrey always made them feel welcome. There was always enough for everyone, and the table was always set for company. Audrey was fastidious. Her house was always spotless, and she was always immaculately dressed. Mrs. Brooks, who owned the ladies wear in Fairview at the time, held an annual charity rummage sale and she always looked forward to getting Audrey’s clothing donation—washed, ironed, folded, and just like new.

Audrey never learned to drive. There didn’t seem to be a reason. It was a source of hilarity to her children to go out to the hobby farm that Earl had carved out of the bush south of Whitelaw and try to teach her to drive. There wasn’t an obstacle that she could avoid.

The tragedy of Audrey’s life was the steady loss of those that she loved. First, she lost her father, shortly after they had moved in from the farm just across the school grounds, then her mother, whom she walked downtown with every day, Earl, the love of her life, and then her brother Bob, who was her closest friend. It is the curse of a long life that not everyone will be there for the full journey.

The joy of Audrey’s life is that she was loved and admired by her children, her numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, her children’s friends, and everyone in the community who got to know her.

She has five children, Sharon Dettling (Joe), Larry Fritz (Darlene), Maureen Fritz-Roberts (Dale), Debbie Chalmers (Marshall), and Jim Fritz (Shirley); sixteen loving grandchildren and nineteen perfect great-grandchildren.

In the last year of her life, Audrey left Fairview, her home of over 100 years, and lived in Chestermere, AB, close to two of her daughters and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Audrey was the soul of graciousness. The world seems like a lesser place without her.

A Graveside Service will be held this summer in Fairview, AB.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Audrey’s family here.

In living memory of Audrey Fritz, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Eastside, 5388 Memorial Drive NE, Calgary, AB T2A 3V9, Telephone: 403-248-8585.