Gerald Benton Fritz
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Gerald's obituary
Gerald B. Fritz was born in Fort Sumner, NM to Benton Rogers Fritz, a decorated WW II veteran and Juanita Guynn Fritz. Gerald was the oldest, and is survived by his sister, Ella Louise Ruud and two brothers, Steven Edward and Don Allen Fritz.
The Early Years:
At an early age Gerald learned the value of chores. He was responsible for taking care of dogs, cats, chickens, sheep, cows and horses after school.
Due to lax enforcement of child labor laws, Gerald learned many skills helpful in later life. His father taught him how to dig and crawl under a house to shim up the low spots, pour concrete slabs and walks, climb on the roof to patch and paint wood shingles and maintain cars through oil changes and tune ups.
Hunting and fishing trips encouraged his love of outdoors. Many Saturdays were spent hunting rabbits, fishing and camping out.
Gerald gave up his dream of being a major league baseball pitcher in the 9th grade. Having control and ability to hit the catcher’s target could not overcome a lack of velocity.
The Professional:
Gerald knew he wanted to be a mechanical engineer from an early age. He chose New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM and upon graduation began work at Sibs Mason & Co.-Pantex Plant in Amarillo, TX as an Engineer I. The early stages of his career offered a look at many facets of engineering from product manufacturing, testing to facility design.
In 1974, Gerald was hired by Swift Fresh Meats, Co. as a Maintenance Engineer in the San Antonio Facility supervising maintenance mechanics on rotating shifts reducing downtime on the production line.
After a stay in Dumas, TX, Gerald accepted a position with Frito Lay as Plant Engineer in Lubbock, TX, coordinating plant and corporate activities through two major plant and product line expansions.
Moving to Dallas to join the corporate engineering group offered Gerald the opportunity to fly to different plants several times per month. In 1984, Gerald stepped into the role of Manager of Project Control Group. His team of three professionals and four clerical staff were the first in all of engineering to utilize personal computers which allowed development of improved project reporting project spending, schedule and variance to budget to the Project Management Group.
Gerald’s extensive list of professional accomplishments can be attributed to three unique skills.
Gerald was a creative problem solver. At Swift Meats he built from scratch a new hide puller utilizing hydraulics to reduce damage to cow hides and increase line speed and designed a new manifold for wastewater pumping system, reducing plugging and allowing servicing of pumps without shut down of total system.
Gerald was a relationship builder. He was a good listener. Negotiations with outside suppliers and contractors resulted in reduced inventory cost and improving uptime of equipment. He implemented a training program that raised skill levels and increased pay rates for maintenance mechanics.
Gerald paid attention to the details and analyzed the data. This ability contributed to cost savings, reduced reporting times, and resulted in smooth production line installations.
A New Beginning:
Gerald became a father with the birth of his daughter, Charly in 1985. Through his marriage to Cindy Arledge in 1997, he gained two additional daughters, Tiffany and Brittany.
Over the years, our family expanded with the addition of sons-in-law, Chris Wilson, Steven Harben and Gabriel Martinez.
He also entered the world of entrepreneurship. As a HomeVestor franchisee, Gerald and Cindy bought and sold over a 100 homes in less than three years and built a portfolio of residential rental properties.
In 2006, they pivoted to commercial real estate property management and moved to Boerne, TX. There, they transformed an ugly limestone square house into a resort style home with a gorgeous view that they enjoyed for over a decade.
In 2018, they moved back to the Dallas area to spend time with their beloved grandchildren, Christian, Emory, Aizlynn, Avery and Oakley.
Gerald’s Legacy:
In 2019, during a routine colonoscopy, uncurable Stage IV Appendix Cancer was discovered.
Unfazed by the prognosis, Gerald completed 12 rounds of chemotherapy and decided he wouldn’t fight cancer, he would live with it. Gerald’s positive attitude and courage during his cancer journey is his legacy.
In August 2024, Gerald’s cancer markers began to increase, and his doctor recommended lifelong chemo treatments. Gerald chose quality of life and continued to live each day as the best day ever.
On February 28th, he started hospice to control pain, and with their help and expertise, he was dancing and enjoying life up to his final week.
Gerald could fix anything and loved maintaining the house. Being in service to others was Gerald’s love language, and he continued to work while on hospice.
He was blowing leaves off the porch when the hospice team delivered his hospital bed.
Gerald engineered a swift exit. He was walking and talking on Monday and passed away on Saturday morning. He left this earth on May 3rd, his mother’s birthday.
Gerald was an animal magnet. He loved his solitary morning time, music, the dogs, and patio time with Cindy.
His passing has left a huge hole in the lives of his friends and family.
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