Mildred Louise Fritsche

Mildred Louise (Moerbe) Fritsche was born April 28, 1931, to Herbert E. and Juanita M. Moerbe, in Chillicothe, Texas. She went home to be with the Lord on July 8, 2020 at the age of 89 years, 2 months, 10 days.

Her family moved to the Vernon, Texas area in the early to mid 1930’s. She assisted her family in picking cotton and working in the fields. She completed the 9th grade at Vernon High School. In the late 1940’s Mil was married for a brief time and had a son, Jackie.

On February 25, 1951, she married Leonard Walter (Sonny) Fritsche at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Harrold, Texas. They always had their eye on each other, but they felt the age difference was too much. Mil was 6 years younger than Sonny and they had known each other most of their lives. Sonny went into the service and when he returned home, the age difference didn’t seem quite so important. Two days after they married, they moved to Houston and grew their family. They joined the membership of Bethany Lutheran Church. When the kids started school at Bethany, Mil volunteered at the school library, checking the books in and out, cataloguing and repairing the binding on the books, as needed. Sonny traveled a lot for work and Mil raised the children and maintained the household. Mil and the kids traveled in the summer to various locations where Sonny was working. During the 1960’s Mil enjoyed raising purebred German Shepherds and was a registered breeder of the American Kennel Club. They moved from 2520 Vaughn to 6842 Concho. Eventually they transferred their church membership to Pilgrim Lutheran Church. In the early 1980’s, Mil achieved her General Education Diploma (G.E.D.) and real estate license. Mil’s real estate career was short-lived, as Sonny preferred to have Mil at home. They purchased a farm in Sweet Home and after Sonny retired in 1997, they spent most of their time there. They enjoyed gardening and farming, which included raising registered Santa Gertrudis cattle. Mil’s family was her life.

Mil is preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Leonard Walter Fritsche; sons, Jackie Wayne Welch and Leonard Walter Fritsche, Jr.; son-in-law, Fred E. Lemire; daughter-in-law, Betty Welch; parents Herbert E. and Juanita M. Moerbe; brother, Herbert Junior Moerbe; brother-in-law, Willie (Blackie) Patton; sister-in-law, Joyce Moerbe.

Survived by daughters Barbara Clifton and husband, Rob, Monica Lemire; sister Glenda Sue Patton; step-sister, Sarah Morehead and husband, Sam; grandchildren Shannon Brackett and husband, Jamey, Celeste Fritsche, Kelley Thomas and husband, Hank, Brandon English and girlfriend, Bethany Foxworth, Crystal Ferguson and husband, Stephen, Lindsey English, Kimberly Goodnight and husband, Brandon; step-grandchildren Fred A. Lemire and wife, Lori, Daniel Lemire and wife, Amy; great grandchildren Hunter Brackett, David Fritsche, Kaylee English, Lacey Thomas, Courtney Duval, Kaitlyn Thomas, Wyatt Goodnight, Presley Ferguson; step-great grandchildren Emma Lemire, Andrew and August Lemire, Anna Lemire; numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to Resurrection Lutheran Church Missions fund.