Fritz T. Sprandel

Fritz T. Sprandel, 80, of Hamburg, PA, passed away peacefully on February 17, 2025, surrounded by family and friends.
Born on July 11, 1944, in Bethlehem, PA, Fritz later moved to Allentown, where he attended William Allen High School before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1962, stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany.
An adventurer at heart, Fritz's life was defined by bold exploits. He dreamed up adventures that would make him a legend. In 1978, he completed his historic coast-to-coast snowmobile journey, a feat that earned him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. In that same year, he achieved another record-setting milestone, paddling his canoe coast-to-coast from Astoria, Oregon, to New York City.
His most famous adventure, in 1970, he attempted a canoe trip on dare, paddling from New York to California, via the Panama Canal. The trip took an unexpected turn when he drifted off course and was arrested by Castro's soldiers in Cuba, and incarcerated for 45 days while his release was negotiated. His exploits were featured in "Sports Illustrated", "Argosy" magazines and earned him a guest spot on "To Tell the Truth".
After stepping away from the public eye in 1978, Fritz worked as a brand representative for Keller Marine and KMS Manufacturing in Kittanning, PA.
Later, he returned to the Lehigh Valley, where he worked for Corporate Limousine and formed a close friendship with owner Doug Kemmerer. Together, they chronicled his life's adventures in three books: Adventure on a Dare, Finding Fritz: The Heart of an Adventurer, and Snowmobiling Across America: A Fritz Sprandel Adventure, which was released two days before his passing.
Fritz is survived by his son, Jeffrey Mayes and his wife, Patricia, grandsons, Liam and James, and his brothers Tim and Jesse, his companion of many years, Brenda Reed, as well as many close and dear friends.
Fritz was a generous soul whose mission in life was to inspire others, always offering help wherever he could. His adventurous spirit, boundless generosity, and larger-than-life stories will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
A celebration of Fritz's life will be held on Sat., Feb. 22, 2025 at 11:00 AM in Schantz Funeral Home, P.C., 250 Main St., Emmaus. Visitation 10:00 to 11:00 AM in the funeral home.