FRETZ, Eugene Johnston

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona - 02/04/2005 Eugene Johnston Fretz died Jan. 27, 2005 at his home surrounded by his three children in Fort Mohave. Eugene was born Jan. 10, 1918 in Vallejo, California to Paul Henry Fretz and Jessie Lee Johnston. On Nov. 1, 1941 he joined the Army Air Corp, rising to the rank of captain, and serving as a flight instructor for the B-29 in WWII. After receiving an honorable discharge Dec. 9, 1945 he moved himself and his young family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While there he worked as the president of the Robert A. Johnston Candy Factory. He also founded the Milwaukee POPS and was the president of it. Then, in 1957, he returned to the West Coast, moving to Palm Springs, California working as a realtor and was one of the developers of Bermuda Dunes Country Club. He was also active in helping many charities, one in particular was The Angel View Cripple Children Foundation. He graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory School in San Jose, California in 1935 and also from the Santa Clara University in 1940. He has been a member of the Catholic Church in Pinetop area for 39 years. In 1966 he moved to Pinetop, where he helped develop Pinetop Country Club, Pinetop Lakes, The Shores and Bent Oak. He received the first Man of the Year Award in 1983, and shortly thereafter he got the number one fan award from the Blue Ridge Yellow Jackets. Eugene is survived by his two sisters Ellen Story Wood of San Rafael, California, and Madeleine Boone of Portland Oregon; his three children Robyn Hawk of Yelm, Washington, Tim Fretz of Fort Mohave, and Stormi Cannon of Eugene, Oregon; as well as the mother of his children and long time friend Bevereley Lewis of Palm Springs, California. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Eugene J. Fretz Scholarship Fund at St. Anthony's School, 1630 E. White Mtn Blvd., Pinetop, AZ 85935. Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 8 at St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Church, with grave side services held later at the family plot in Santa Clara, California.