Ritzville people were shocked last Friday to learn that Fred Achziger, born and raise a Ritzville boy and who numbered his friends by the hundred, had passed away that day at the Veterans' hospital in Tacoma, but four hours after he had been thekn there from the Walla Walla hospital. Mr. Achziger was stricken with a very severe case of influenza the latter part of January and after recovering to some extent he went to Spokane for treatments. Failig to recover from the effects of the attack he became a patient in the Walla Walla hospital on March 12th. For a time it was thought he would completely recover, but complications developed and as a last resort he was rushed to the hospital in Tacoma, passing away a few hours after his arrival there.

The body was brought back to Ritzville and the funeral was held Tuesday afternoon from the Philadelphia German Congregational church, of which Mr. Achziger had been a member since its organization. He had since young manhood been an active and sincere church worker. The funeral was largely attended and the floral tributes profuse. The local I.O.O.F. attended the funeral in a body, Mr. Achziger being a member of the Ritzville lodge and a past nobel grand. Mr. Achziger was also a veteran of the World War, serving overseas as a master mechanic in the aviation corps, enlisting in 1917 and honorably discharged in Dec. of 1918. The local post led the funeral cortege to a the cemetery. A volley was fired over the grave and taps sounded for the the departed comrade.

John Fred Achziger was born in Ritzville, January 23, 1888. At the age of 14, Fred's father died and he assumed the obligations of caring for his mother and continued to do so until his death. He was unmarried.

For the last ten years he was a faithful employee of the Ritzville Trading Co., and the store closed during the funeral in honor of his memory. Wishing to get into business for himself, Fred had formed a partnership with Henry Clodius in the purchase of the Big Bend Machinery Co., and had resigned his place at the store, to become effective February 1st. He was taken ill while still working at the store. Death intervened and kept the partnership from materializing.

Mr. Achziger is survived by his mother, Mrs. Katie Achziger; one brother, Jacob of Modesto Calif.; three sisters, Mrs. P. B. Hunt, Ritzville; Mrs. Henry Thiel, Jr., Ritzville; and Mrs. Katie Schroeder, portland Ore., all of whom were here for the funeral. His father, two brothers and six sisters preceded him in death.

Ritzville Journal Times April 19, 1928 Courtsey of Sue Gardner & gapwork90