Leroy "Lee" Fritch Jr.

He is proceeded in death by his wife of 65 years, Patricia Fritch. He is survived by a son, Eric Fritch and daughters Carol Taylor and Sheri Myer, son-in-law Kevin Mcgraw, grandsons Jonathan Fritch and Christopher Mcgraw, and granddaughters, Michelle Lane and Karianne Lanci and three great grandchildren.

Lee was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania and graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor's in Chemical Engineering and he lettered in gymnastics.

He was employed by American Viscos Corp., Borg Warner Chemicals and retired from GE Chemicals and Plastics in 1991.

He served two years in the US Army Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth New Jersey, working at the Signal Research and Development Laboratories as a technician.

Lee and Pat traveled extensively to all 50 USA states and 26 foreign destinations from New Zealand, China and Japan to Iceland, Spain and south and central America, to name a few.

In 1971 Lee became an avid artist, painting in oils and watercolor. He painted an estimated 3000 works, the majority selling through galleries and shows. He began teaching painting in 1984 and found this to be his true passion. He was a signature member of the West Virginia and Ohio Watercolor Societies and a member of the exclusive Whiskey Painters of America. He won many awards for his works at the national and state level. About 40 paintings are in corporate and institutional collections including six with JD Rockefeller IV.

Lee also was a model Shipwright and built 14 models, two of which were from scratch and appraised by a representative of the Smithsonian as museum quality.

Please share your thoughts and memories at www.chattanooganorthchapel.com

Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, TN 37343.