James Arthur Fredritz Tribute

My Dad passed away three days after his birthday, he was 81 years old. The last years of his life he couldn't talk very well his voice was crackly and I know that depressed him very much. He had a lot of ailments such as diabetes, numbed feet, swollen ankles, he had a triple bypass back in 1998 when he went to the hospital for gas and they said it was his heart, but my Mom said it was not his heart and they operated for nothing and put my Dad in a lot of pain for years, they broke his sternum and he had unbearable pain for all of those years, because she said it wasn't his heart. Doctor's messed my Dad up really bad, put him on a lot of medicine that he shouldn't of taken. The day before he died he drove himself to the Pharmacy and picked up a prescription that he only took two pills and complained about he couldn't breathe right. I feel that the pills had something to do with his death.

My Dad is survived by my Mom, my sister Linda, Brenda, Gidget and brother's Jimmy, David, 13 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild. There may be more, but I haven't seen my late brother Michael's kids.

My Dad quit the ninth grade in order to provide for his Mom and his brother's and sister. His Dad died when my Dad was two years old. He worked at the railroad for awhile,  Jeep and finally at AP Parts and retired in 1985 after AP Parts went on strike, before he retired when AP Parts was on strike he wrote a poem about the scabs that were in there while they were striking and holding up picket signs. I have to go and look for that poem and put it on here it was in the paper at that time.

He was in a bowling league at Jug's Bowling Alley and had his picture on the wall for bowling a perfect 300 game and winning trophies. He loved riding his Goldwing motorcycle and would go on poker runs and win trophy's and loved playing his organ. He use to be on the CB for a number of years as known as Triple 7, but when he had a nodule taken out of his throat, he couldn't talk very good, because all that came out was scratchy and crackling sounds, so that really depressed him.

He also had a very good singing voice and my Mom told me when he was growing up that he would sing in the church choir and that he could of been a professional singer. He also was in a Baseball League at his work. My Dad also was a very talented and a creative person, he would actually invent things.

My Dad was a loving husband and a loving father, and Grandfather. He worked very long hours and even worked two jobs. He drove a cab back in the 70's.

He loved music and playing his organ. His number one idol was Bing Crosby, he also loved listening to Gospel music by Elvis Presley and he watched old movies, he loved watching John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. He also loved watching Bowling and Baseball games and The World Series.

What can I say my Dad was a very proud man and I miss and love him very much.

R.I.P Dad until the good Lord comes and takes his children to heaven.