Eugenia D. Fritz

Eugenia D. Fritz (Genie) passed away peacefully December 3, 2024, at the age of 100. She was born May 4, 1924 in Washington, D.C., and spent her early life in Haiti, Santo Domingo, Argentina, Guatemala, and the D.C. area, with parents serving in the U.S. diplomatic corps. She earned a B.A. with Phi Beta Kappa and Mortar Board honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1944, with a major in Economics and minor in Government. She married Edward C. Fritz (Ned) in 1944 and joined him in California as he served as naval aviator during World War II. In 1945, they returned to Dallas, where Ned began practicing law and Genie began a remarkably productive life as a mother, volunteer civic leader, and environmental advocate.
Genie joined the Dallas League of Women Voters in 1952 and contributed to many committees and projects through the succeeding decades, including serving as President. She was a Committee Chair and eventually Board member of the Texas League of Women Voters, and was Secretary of the U.S. League of Women Voters' Overseas Education Fund. She co-founded the Greater Dallas Housing Opportunity Center, becoming President in 1973, and was Board member and President for the Women's Southwest Federal Credit Union. She belonged to the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, chairing the Committee on Social Concerns and serving as Treasurer of the Women's Alliance. She fought tirelessly for environmental causes alongside her husband, Ned, and was a Board member for the Texas Land Conservancy and co-founder of the Texas Conservation Alliance. She received many awards and recognitions, including from the Dallas City Council, Dallas League of Women Voters, Friends of the Trinity River, North Texas Master Naturalists, and Save Open Space.
Genie was preceded in death by her husband (Edward C. Fritz), mother (Linda Tays Dunn), father (William E. Dunn), brother (Paxton T. Dunn), and oldest daughter (Linda F. Gardner). She was survived by her daughters, Gayle J. Fritz (Mark E. Esarey), Eileen F. McKee, Judy F. Gaskell (Mark L. Gaskell), nine grandchildren, fifteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at First Unitarian Church of Dallas, Preston Road and Normandy. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Texas Land Conservancy, 6626 Silvermine Drive Suite 300, Austin, TX 78736-1703 or Texas Conservation Alliance, P.O. Box 822544, Dallas, TX 75382.