Richard G Fratcher

Richard G. Fratcher, 73, of Houston, Texas, passed away Tuesday, March 13, 2018 in the comfort of his home after a courageous 14-months with pancreatic cancer under the compassionate care of Tricia Kinnard of Anchor Hospice.

Dick was born on March 24, 1944 in Houston, Texas, to Louis E. and Shirley Robinson Fratcher. As a third generation Houstonian, he grew up in the Heights and Garden Oaks area, attended Immanuel Lutheran School, Black Junior High, and Reagan High School before graduating in 1962 in one of the first classes at Waltrip High School. He attended Heights Presbyterian Church, founded in his grandparents’ living room. He graduated with a business degree from the University of Texas where he met the love of his life, Susan Girardeau, and they were married on September 2, 1967. He attended South Texas College of Law until he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps where he was assigned a position as counsel on the court martial board at Fort Lee, Virginia. After his military service, he worked briefly at Texaco and then initiated a lifelong career in real estate/property management, retiring in 2004 as regional vice president for Capstone.

Dick lived a life of service and helping others was clearly one of his passions in life. He was an active member of St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church for 45 years where he served as a vestry member, greeter, usher, chalicer and member of a weekly Bible study group. He also served in various community volunteer efforts, one of which was Ground Angels where he drove cancer patients back and forth from the airport and M.D. Anderson. He was especially effective in this ministry as a survivor of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 35. He was famous for making thousands of lemon meltaway cookies each year for the St. Dustan’s Street of Shoppes Cookie Scramble. He served as president of Sunrise Rotary where he received the prestigious Paul Harris Award. He was in charge of his chapter’s foreign exchange student program and Dick and Susan, a lifelong high school teacher, hosted several students in their home through Rotary and other programs.

He and Susan had a fulfilling 50-year marriage and were blessed with three children, Rick, Jenny and Beth. They shared a passion for world travel, a joy of cooking, entertaining friends and family in their home, gardening, theater, good music and good books. Their life together was focused on their faith, family and friends.

He is survived by his wife, Susan; his son, Rick and wife, Cammie Fratcher, and their children, Ethan and Aidan, of Charlotte, NC; daughter Jenny and husband, John Starcke, and their children, Will and Lauren, of Nashville, TN; daughter Beth and husband Steve Valvano, and their children, Mia, Dominic, Bryanna and Lexi, of Vicenza, Italy.

Anyone who knew Dick Fratcher knew that he loved life like it was his job. Once he had his morning cup (or three) of coffee and read the newspaper, he seldom sat still and could always be found tinkering with little “projects” in the yard or around the house. He would happily knock out a “honey do” list and often recruited company from anyone willing to tag along. Dick never met a dessert he didn’t like and could cook a mean bread pudding and his Thanksgiving stuffing has become a staple across the entire family. It was not unheard of for him to already be planning the next vacation before the current one was even over! Though never the loudest voice in the room, nothing gave him more joy than being surrounded by those he loved, be it family or friends. There is no doubt that he is surrounded in Heaven by all of the dogs that he has loved so dearly, but left a small piece of his heart behind in his precious Chelsea to comfort Susan until they can all be reunited.

Many prayed so hard for a “miracle” for Dick during these last 14-months, and Susan assured that their prayers had worked. This whole year had been a miracle and one of the best of the 50 years they’ve shared right up to the very end. He focused on a ritual of goals each day and he fulfilled a last “bucket list” trip to Yosemite, walked hand-in-hand with Susan down a white sand beach, the celebration of their 50th anniversary with 150 supportive friends and family, celebrated the World Series Championship of the Astros, and witnessed a rare beautiful Houston snowfall just before his last Christmas with family.

Dick’s legacy is one of kindness, unselfishness and unconditional love. This legacy will live on through every individual he touched. In remembrance, there is life.

A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, March 23, 2018 at 2p.m. at St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church located at 14301 Stuebner Airline Road, Houston, Texas 77069.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the St. Dunstan's Memorial Fund (Dick Fratcher) or The Hope Center.