Ruth Lilian “Peg” Stimson Fritz, 91, of 185 Center Street, Elk Towers, and formerly of 172 Queens Road, St. Marys, passed away Monday, September 15, 2014, at the Elk Haven Nursing Home.
She was born November 22, 1922 in Abberley, near Worcester, England, daughter of the late Tom Thacker Stimson and Lilian Cripps Stimson. She attended Abberley Parochial School and Kidderminster High School for Girls, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England and obtained School Certificate in 1939. She was employed at Midland Bank Ltd. and at the Air Ministry in Worcester, England.
On June 27, 1944 in the St. George’s Roman Catholic Church, Worcester, England, she married Jerome J. Fritz of St. Marys, who preceded her in death on January 1, 1994.
She was a WWII GI Bride. After landing in New York Harbor on the GI Bride Boat, S.S. Washington, she was met by her husband and arrived in St. Marys March 3, 1946.
She worked at Sylvania and at Sears, Roebuck & Co. for many years. She was a member of the Queen of the World Church and Choir, St. Marys Senior Center, where she served as president and as secretary for several years, and Elk Towers Residents Association, serving as secretary for several years. She was a Girl Guide in England and a Girl Scout Advisor for many years in St. Marys. She also sang in performances at St. Benedict’s Academy. In 1943 she received a certificate from the Royal Schools of Music, the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music for Singing in London, England.
Every available minute her hands were busy with her knitting for over 88 years. She faced every event with courage and strength. Her family was her pride and joy. She was in touch with them on Skype from as far away as England and Australia.
She is survived by two daughters, Mary Beth Zelt and her husband John of St. Marys and Carol Ann Cook and her husband Glen of St. Louis, MO; one son, Jerome T. Fritz and his wife Beverly of Johnsonburg; seven grandchildren, Jean Zelt of Chicago, IL, Major Christian Cook and his wife Kristi of Petal, MS, Michael Cook and his wife Katharine of St. Louis, MO, Justin Cook of St. Louis, MO, Travis Fritz and his partner Allison Anderson of Indiana, PA, and Kelly O’Neill of North Hollywood, CA; five great granddaughters, Makala Fritz, Elizabeth Cook, Kaitlyn Cook, Hannah Cook, and Joanna Cook; two great grandsons, Joshua Cook and Cameron Anderson; two sisters-in-law, Virginia Daniel of St. Marys and Beatrice Stimson of Nova Scotia, Canada; and nieces, a nephew, and cousins in Canada, England, and Australia.
In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, F. W. Thacker Stimson of Ottawa, Canada on December 6, 2004.
There will be no visitation.
Family and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated in the Queen of the World Church on Saturday, September 20, 2014, at 10:00 AM, with the Rev. Richard Allen, Pastor, officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Memorials, if desired, may be made to the Queen of the World Church, 134 Queens Road, St. Marys, PA 15857 or to the Community Nurses, Inc., 757 Johnsonburg Road, Suite 200, St. Marys, PA 15857.