Mr. William Joseph Gritz

April 4, 1941 – April 19, 2015

Bill Gritz, 74 of Stockton, passed away peacefully at home after a difficult battle with Melanoma cancer. He passed away with his family by his side at 5:45 pm on Sunday, April 19. Bill was born in a unique location, in the back seat of a car on the Sacramento-San Joaquin county line on Highway 99. He grew up spending a lot of his time with his family, camping and fishing in the High Sierras. The outdoors became a passion for him and in his adult years was an avid backpacker. He earned the nickname “Iron Legs” from his friends for the long distance, cross country backpacking he did. He also carried on the outdoor tradition with his wife and children, spending every summer vacation camping and fishing in the High Sierras in the same place his parents did. There are now 5 generations of Gritzes that have camped in the High Sierras in the same place the first generation started even to this day.

Bill went to college at the University of the Pacific and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Biology. In 1966 he joined the Army and worked as a chemist testing chemical agents in different climates throughout North America that were used during the Vietnam War. While he was in the Army, he joined the tennis team where he developed his passion for tennis. When he wasn’t playing tennis and testing chemicals, he developed his other great passion – playing guitar. He learned to play guitar without reading music and became a very talented guitar player throughout his life. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1968 and returned to Stockton to work as a scientific aide for the Department of Fish and Game on the Striped bass project in the San Joaquin Delta. In 1971 he met the love of his life, Debbie, who happened to live in the same apartment building as him. They were married on August 26, 1972, and shortly after began his career with San Joaquin County as a deputy Agriculture Commissioner where he worked for 24 years. During those 24 years they were blessed with three children.

He leaves behind his family: mother, Ruth Gritz-Weicker of Stockton, brother and sister-in-law Jerry and JoAnn Gritz of Sonora, nephew Garrett Gritz of Alamo, niece Melissa Ratkovich of Mokelumne Hill, nephew Galen Gritz of Sonora, wife Debbie of Stockton, daughter and son-in-law Jennifer and Mitch Carlson of Cottonwood, son David Gritz of Sacramento, daughter and son-in-law Emily and Tony McAuliff, grandchildren Samantha Gritz of Cottonwood, Madison and Blake Carlson of Cottonwood.

A memorial service will be held at DeYoung Shoreline Memorial Chapel on Saturday, April 25 at 11:00, 7676 Shoreline Drive, Stockton. Tributes can be made either with donations or flowers. Donations can be made to the AIM at Melanoma Foundation at aimatmelanoma.org.