Donald Eric Fritz

Donald Eric Fritz was born on May 13, 1935 to William C. Fritz and Bernice Anderson Fritz in Midland, Texas. He died on November 27, 2022 in McAllen. He spent his childhood and teenage years in Midland and graduated from Texas Tech with a degree in Petroleum Geology in 1956. After two years serving as an army intelligence officer in Maryland, during which time he took advantage of a free MATS flight to Europe, he returned to Midland to work in the oil business. After three years of driving all over West Texas and well-sitting in remote locations he decided to use his savings to expand his horizons and so returned to Europe. Determined to eke out the said savings for as long as possible, he stayed in youth hostels and turned what he thought would be a weeks-long sojourn in Europe into a two and a half year global journey through Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and southeast Asia. He arrived back in Texas with just enough money to enroll once again at Texas Tech, this time with a view to getting a high school science teaching certificate. However, when congress passed the GI Bill, for which he was eligible, he decided to go for a Master's degree in English at Tech. Next stop was the University of Missouri, and there he was awarded a Ph.D. in American and British Literature. In 1964, he had met Berry, a young British woman, in Spain during his travels. After getting back together in Canada, they married in 1967 and welcomed daughter Jennifer in 1970. The year 1976 brought them back to Texas, this time to the Rio Grande Valley, where Don was employed for twenty-five years by UT-Pan American, now known as UTRGV. Despite being an exacting and demanding teacher, Don enjoyed the friendship and appreciation of many former students. Travel was always a central part of the agenda for this family. Frequent visits to Berry's family in England were augmented by forays into Europe. On this side of the Atlantic they visited many destinations in Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, and Alaska, culminating in cruises around South America and French Polynesia. Don was greatly interested in other cultures, both past and present, and became an avid collector of folk art and ancient artifacts, a hobby inspired by his father's interest in the crafts of the native southwest cultures. For his life-long love of literature, he credited his mother, who made sure that Don and his brother were well-versed in the classics of American and British literature before they left the nest. Don was predeceased by his parents and his elder brother Duane Fritz. He is survived by his loving wife of fifty-five years, Berry Sheehan Fritz of McAllen, their daughter Jennifer Fritz Alcalay, son-in-law Philippe Alcalay, granddaughter Sophie Alcalay, all of Montreal, Canada, sister-in-law Patricia Fritz of Houston, sister-in-law Patricia Goodger of Buderim, Australia, brother-in-law Patrick Sheehan of Warragul, Australia, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Charitable organizations suggested by the family for donations in Don’s memory are “Dr. Donald E. Fritz Study Abroad Memorial Scholarship” at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Division of Institutional Advancement, 701 E. Expressway 83, Box #13, McAllen, TX or online at https://www.give.utrgv.edu/FritzMemorial; The International Museum of Art and Science, 1900 Nolana, McAllen, Texas 78501 or at theimasonline.org; or Hope Family Health Center, 2332 Jordan Road, McAllen, Texas 78503.

Tributes

Donald Eric Fritz

November 27, 2022