~~ My very dear Step-Grandfather ~
Veteran of World War I
He married my grandmother, and became a step-father to my Dad, and a grandpa to us later on. Though we were not biologically related, he was a grandfather to us in every way. He and Grandma were married on Valentine's Day in 1943, in Missouri. My dad was 19 years old, and fighting in World War II when they married.
A great fisherman until the last day of his life. I never saw anybody fly-fish like he could. We would watch him in awe. Many evenings, he would fish while the sun was going down over our pond. We would watch the sunset together, and then he'd pack up his tackle box and go home.
Cafe owner in the 40's---(Read the info about the silver token pictured here on this page.)
Prison guard in the 50's and 60's---not a fun job. He told stories about some of the things the prisoners did to the guards. I was very young, but I remember being horrified.
Smoked "Lucky Strike" non-filtered cigarettes, but quit because of his heart problems.
Drove a cool 2 tone green 1955 Chevy Bel Air 4-door-no radio-no air conditioning.
Died of a heart attack too young, after an early evening of fishing, while relaxing in a chair.
Rest in peace dear "Grandpa" Tony, fishing in Heaven. We miss you.
NOTE: I have discovered Tony's birth certificate after the death of my father, among family papers. Tony has had several first names over the years. His birth certificate says he was named "Anthony." His gravestone says "Anton." His WWI service records indicate he was listed as "Toney." No middle initial was ever listed, but he always said it was "J." His birth certificate and service records indicate no middle initial either. To top that off, he was supposed to be Tony, Jr. His father's name was Anton Fritz, and his mother's name was Antonia (Ruzic) Fritz. Must've been hard to keep the Tony's in that family straight!
Both of Tony's parents were born in Croatia, and he was the oldest of 9 children, all born in Joliet, Illinois.
Veteran of World War I
He married my grandmother, and became a step-father to my Dad, and a grandpa to us later on. Though we were not biologically related, he was a grandfather to us in every way. He and Grandma were married on Valentine's Day in 1943, in Missouri. My dad was 19 years old, and fighting in World War II when they married.
A great fisherman until the last day of his life. I never saw anybody fly-fish like he could. We would watch him in awe. Many evenings, he would fish while the sun was going down over our pond. We would watch the sunset together, and then he'd pack up his tackle box and go home.
Cafe owner in the 40's---(Read the info about the silver token pictured here on this page.)
Prison guard in the 50's and 60's---not a fun job. He told stories about some of the things the prisoners did to the guards. I was very young, but I remember being horrified.
Smoked "Lucky Strike" non-filtered cigarettes, but quit because of his heart problems.
Drove a cool 2 tone green 1955 Chevy Bel Air 4-door-no radio-no air conditioning.
Died of a heart attack too young, after an early evening of fishing, while relaxing in a chair.
Rest in peace dear "Grandpa" Tony, fishing in Heaven. We miss you.
NOTE: I have discovered Tony's birth certificate after the death of my father, among family papers. Tony has had several first names over the years. His birth certificate says he was named "Anthony." His gravestone says "Anton." His WWI service records indicate he was listed as "Toney." No middle initial was ever listed, but he always said it was "J." His birth certificate and service records indicate no middle initial either. To top that off, he was supposed to be Tony, Jr. His father's name was Anton Fritz, and his mother's name was Antonia (Ruzic) Fritz. Must've been hard to keep the Tony's in that family straight!
Both of Tony's parents were born in Croatia, and he was the oldest of 9 children, all born in Joliet, Illinois.
~~ My very dear Step-Grandfather ~
Veteran of World War I
He married my grandmother, and became a step-father to my Dad, and a grandpa to us later on. Though we were not biologically related, he was a grandfather to us in every way. He and Grandma were married on Valentine's Day in 1943, in Missouri. My dad was 19 years old, and fighting in World War II when they married.
A great fisherman until the last day of his life. I never saw anybody fly-fish like he could. We would watch him in awe. Many evenings, he would fish while the sun was going down over our pond. We would watch the sunset together, and then he'd pack up his tackle box and go home.
Cafe owner in the 40's---(Read the info about the silver token pictured here on this page.)
Prison guard in the 50's and 60's---not a fun job. He told stories about some of the things the prisoners did to the guards. I was very young, but I remember being horrified.
Smoked "Lucky Strike" non-filtered cigarettes, but quit because of his heart problems.
Drove a cool 2 tone green 1955 Chevy Bel Air 4-door-no radio-no air conditioning.
Died of a heart attack too young, after an early evening of fishing, while relaxing in a chair.
Rest in peace dear "Grandpa" Tony, fishing in Heaven. We miss you.
NOTE: I have discovered Tony's birth certificate after the death of my father, among family papers. Tony has had several first names over the years. His birth certificate says he was named "Anthony." His gravestone says "Anton." His WWI service records indicate he was listed as "Toney." No middle initial was ever listed, but he always said it was "J." His birth certificate and service records indicate no middle initial either. To top that off, he was supposed to be Tony, Jr. His father's name was Anton Fritz, and his mother's name was Antonia (Ruzic) Fritz. Must've been hard to keep the Tony's in that family straight!
Both of Tony's parents were born in Croatia, and he was the oldest of 9 children, all born in Joliet, Illinois.
Veteran of World War I
He married my grandmother, and became a step-father to my Dad, and a grandpa to us later on. Though we were not biologically related, he was a grandfather to us in every way. He and Grandma were married on Valentine's Day in 1943, in Missouri. My dad was 19 years old, and fighting in World War II when they married.
A great fisherman until the last day of his life. I never saw anybody fly-fish like he could. We would watch him in awe. Many evenings, he would fish while the sun was going down over our pond. We would watch the sunset together, and then he'd pack up his tackle box and go home.
Cafe owner in the 40's---(Read the info about the silver token pictured here on this page.)
Prison guard in the 50's and 60's---not a fun job. He told stories about some of the things the prisoners did to the guards. I was very young, but I remember being horrified.
Smoked "Lucky Strike" non-filtered cigarettes, but quit because of his heart problems.
Drove a cool 2 tone green 1955 Chevy Bel Air 4-door-no radio-no air conditioning.
Died of a heart attack too young, after an early evening of fishing, while relaxing in a chair.
Rest in peace dear "Grandpa" Tony, fishing in Heaven. We miss you.
NOTE: I have discovered Tony's birth certificate after the death of my father, among family papers. Tony has had several first names over the years. His birth certificate says he was named "Anthony." His gravestone says "Anton." His WWI service records indicate he was listed as "Toney." No middle initial was ever listed, but he always said it was "J." His birth certificate and service records indicate no middle initial either. To top that off, he was supposed to be Tony, Jr. His father's name was Anton Fritz, and his mother's name was Antonia (Ruzic) Fritz. Must've been hard to keep the Tony's in that family straight!
Both of Tony's parents were born in Croatia, and he was the oldest of 9 children, all born in Joliet, Illinois.
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