Laurence Joseph Fritz

LAURENCE JOSEPH FRITZ LARRY/ ZEB HIGHLAND, IN / WHITING, IN Laurence Joseph Fritz, age 61, of Highland, IN and formerly of Whiting, IN, passed away at Munster Community Hospital, with his family by his bedside, on Thursday July 22, 2010 after a long battle with numerous lingering illnesses. Zeb, as most people knew him, was born on February 14, 1949 to John and Angeline (Stefek) in Whiting, IN. He is survived by his beloved wife of 27 years, Jean (Benko) Fritz; cherished father of Natalie Ryann (fiancé, Thomas (TJ) Fusner) Fritz and Douglas John (DJ) Fritz, all of Highland, IN; brother, Edward (Liz) Fritz of Whiting; sister, Nancy (JR) Battista of Schererville, IN; sister-in-law, Arlene (late Henry/Hank) Hart of Granger, IN: nieces: Lisa (Charlie) Remmers, Jonelle (John) Noffsinger, Traci (Milford) Hale, Kelly (Angelo) Cicco, Amber (Matthew) Dittoe, Andrea and Krystin Hart; nephews: Edward (Lianne) Fritz, Todd (Laura) Battista, Mike (Penny) Battista and Justin Hart; great-nieces: Anastasia and Isabelle Noffsinger, Lilliana Hale, Violet Cicco, Kaitlyn Battista and Ryan and Alex Dittoe; and great-nephews: Clarke Remmers, Clayton Hale, and Jacob Dittoe. He was preceded in death by his parents: John and Angeline Fritz; mother and father in-law, Emil and Martha (Ciesar) Benko; brother-in law, Henry Hart and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Funeral services will held on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the Baran Funeral Home, 1235-119th St., Whiting with Pastor Kevin Bergmann of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Whiting, officiating. Interment, Concordia Cemetery, Hammond, IN. Family and friends are invited to meet with the family at the funeral home on Tuesday from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. Larry was born and raised in Whiting, IN. He attended Sacred Heart Elementary School. He graduated from Whiting High School in 1967 where he was an outstanding athlete in baseball, basketball and football. Zeb played on the Whiting American Legion Post 80 baseball team when it won the state championship in 1965. He continued his education by attending Arizona State University for three years before he was drafted by and signed for the New York Mets. He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. Then he went to play in the Mexican League where he won the batting title in 1976 with a batting average of 355. After he stopped playing baseball, he went on to play softball for numerous local teams. Larry served in the Indiana National Guard, Company C 113th Engineer Battalion. He was employed as a truck driver by Metro Intermodal Trucking of Lansing, IL, Calumet Coach, and Bulkmatic Transport. He retired in 2004 from Metro Intermodal due to a disability. As his children were growing up, he loved and enjoyed coaching them and others in baseball, basketball, soccer and softball. He was an devoted Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls, and Cubs fan. He was an avid collector of antique cars and his "baby" was a 1967 black GTO convertible. During the winter, he loved sitting by the pool and looking at the gulf out of the condominium window in Fort Myers Beach, FL while everyone else was freezing up north. Larry was a loving and wonderful husband and father. He will be deeply missed by everyone who knew him, especially by his best and most faithful friend, Barney (our Basset Hound). In lieu of flowers, memorials in Larry's name may be made to the Calumet Area Humane Society, St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, Whiting, or the American Diabetes Association. (219) 659-4400.