Darlene M Fritz

Darlene Maydell (Fulton) Fritz of Lombard, Illinois passed away at her home in Lexington Square Retirement Center on March 1, 2025. Darlene was born on July 15, 1931 in her grandparent's farmhouse in rural Randolph County near Sparta, IL to the late Dean Hamilton Fulton and Elizabeth Ann ("Bessie") Patton Fulton. The home was on property that is now part of the World Shooting and Recreation Complex. The family lived on this farm with her paternal grandparents William and Sara Etta Fulton during the Depression of the 1930's, relying on food raised on the farm and home canning while using horses to work the fields. The farm used kerosene lamps, a wood burning stove, hand drawn water and an outhouse for the basics with no electricity until Darlene was in grammar school. Her father was a carpenter.

Darlene attended a one-room school house, for grammar school with about 20 other children. The family moved to Tilden, Illinois when she was in 5th grade. Darlene lived in Tilden, Illinois with her parents and two younger brothers and graduated from Marissa High School. After high school, Darlene moved to St. Louis and worked for Kraft Foods followed by a job as a Payroll Clerk for the General Cable Company.

She married Robert ("Bob") Douglas Fritz, a Korean War veteran, on February 14, 1953, and they went on to have four daughters. During the years of raising their children, Darlene was a full-time homemaker. Her husband's work evolved from being a railroad clerk for the Terminal Railroad to becoming a union lobbyist with the Brotherhood of Railroad and Airline Clerks in both Springfield and Washington, D.C. They moved their family from Tilden, to Bellville and finally to Palatine, IL before retiring to Florida. Bob preceded her in death on December 1, 1993.

Darlene enjoyed knitting, sewing, reading and volunteering in her Lexington Square community and at her former home in Mount Dora, Florida as a Pink Lady at the Waterman Hospital in Tavares, Florida. She loved spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents and husband, Darlene is preceded in death by her brothers Paul Fulton and Lee Fulton. Survivors include daughters Lyn (John) Costopoulos; Susan (Jim) Marseille; Jean (Chuck) McKay; and Becky (Bill) Renk, her grandchildren Nick (Krystal) Costopoulos; Sarah (Jeff) Sinitean and Alex Marseille; and great-grandchildren Shay, Jackson and Graham Sinitean.

A private memorial service will be held.