Donna Fritz

Donna Lee Fritz...

was born to Arthur and Elizabeth (Vos) Fritz on May 25, 1957 at the hospital in Tyler, Minnesota and was raised on the family farm near Woodstock, Minnesota. When she was three months old, she moved with her family to a farm east of Ruthton, Minnesota where she attended school in Ruthton. In January, 1972, she and other family members returned to the family farm in Woodstock. At that time, Donna completed her education at the high school in Pipestone, Minnesota. While she was in high school, she began working part-time in the Laundry and Housekeeping Department at the Good Samaritan Village in Pipestone. Following her high school graduation in 1976, she became employed full-time in the Dietary Department at the Good Samaritan Village. She continued to work there until she was forced to retire in 1993 because of her health problems from diabetes and muscular dystrophy. In September, 2007, she became a resident of the Good Samaritan Communities of Pipestone. In October, 2007, Donna was diagnosed with breast cancer. She continued to reside at Good Sam until the time of her death on Saturday, July 16, 2016 at the age of 59 years, one month and 21 days.

Donna was a member of St. James Lutheran Church in Holland, Minnesota where she was baptized and confirmed. She volunteered to help with Vacation Bible School and the annual church ham supper. She attended the Ladies Aid and her church circle. She also attended the get-togethers of the Good Samaritan Sisters. She enjoyed embroidery and embroidered gifts for the Tyler hospice auction. She took great pride in baking and making meals for the family. She made sure to make everyone’s favorites. While she was a resident of Good Sam, Donna had a positive attitude regardless of the challenges she encountered in life. Likewise, she was always very friendly with the staff and the other residents and their families and considered all of them part of her extended family.

She is lovingly remembered by her sister, Beverly Willadsen and her husband Eric of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; three brothers, James Fritz and his wife Audrey of Holland, Minnesota, Robert Fritz and his wife Stacey of Tyler, Minnesota, and Randy Fritz of Woodstock, Minnesota; and eight nieces and nephews, Cody, Casey, Carly, Kassandra, Kristin, Brandon, Cory and Erin. She is preceded in death by her parents; and her great aunt, Erna Schminowski who came to live with Art to help raise Donna and her siblings when her mother died in 1962.