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© Billings Funeral Home
Reprinted with permission
Submitted by: Terry Dudley
Evelyn Fritzler, 87-year-old Woodward resident, died Saturday, December 12, 2020 in Woodward, OK. Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 18, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church with Reverend Gregory Brown officiating. Burial will follow in the Elmwood Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Billings Funeral Home.
Evelyn Pearl (Semmel) Fritzler was born on April 6, 1933 to Abraham and Selma (Ruppel) Semmel on a farm a half mile east of Tangier, Oklahoma. She attended Tangier schools for all twelve years, graduating Tangier in 1951. During her school years, Evelyn played basketball, was a member of the 4-H Club, Pep Club, typed the Tangier Annual, and was Valedictorian of her graduating class.
In 1953, she married Alexander Fritzler. The couple made their home 9 miles south of Tangier and lived there most of their life. Evelyn helped Alexander with farming and raised cattle until their retirement in 1995. Evelyn and Alex were married for 67 years.
In 1946, she started playing the piano and the organ. In 1953 at the age of 20, Evelyn played the organ for Trinity Lutheran Church services/activities and continued playing for 67 years. Evelyn was still the active organist at the church at the time of her death. She also taught Sunday School at Trinity Lutheran for 34 years. During her time at Trinity Lutheran Church, she served as an officer of the church, youth leader for the young peoples group, and helped make Easter breakfast, as well as setting up the ice cream socials every year. Evelyn was a member of the Lutheran Women Missionary League organization. Evelyn served as historian for the church. She wrote about the history for the first 80 years in the book (Pioneering the Christian Spirit 1901-1981) for the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Woodward. Evelyn helped Trinity Lutheran Church to celebrate their 100th year in May of 2001. She then wrote an addendum to the (Pioneering the Christian Spirit 1901-1981) to include the next 20 years, so that the book was complete for the first 100 years.
Evelyn not only made numerous contributions to her church but also to the local school, Fargo Public Schools. She assisted the Fargo junior and senior classes in raising money for their senior trips. She helped cook school lunches in Fargo Schools, eventually becoming the head cook. She also gave back to her alma mater, Tangier Public Schools. Evelyn served as treasurer of the Tangier Alumni Association for 27 years. She also took on the task of coordinating all the annual reunions. Years after the school closed, reunions were revived and still happen annually. Evelyn wrote and published some of the books in the (Tangier History 1889-1961) about the Tangier community and all the graduating classes until the school closed.
Evelyns favorite past time activities included genealogy, crocheting, embroidery work, music, and her own photography. She has made numerous quilts and pieced many quilts together for her children and grandchildren. She loved her grandchildren so much she kept picture books of their lives as they grew up so they could have them to cherish. She was a model to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild teaching them the values of giving back.
She is survived by her husband, Alexander Fritzler; son, Harry L. Fritzler and wife Beverly of Norman; daughter, Irene P. McKay and husband David of Woodward; grandchildren, Bryce Matthew Fritzler and wife Jennifer of Norman, Breawna Lea Fritzler of Norman, Chelsea Diane McKay of Hobart, Hannah Gaylene McKay of Council Bluffs, Iowa; and great grandson Nathan Drake Fritzler. She is also survived by brother, Elmer Semmel, and many other relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church with the funeral home accepting the contributions.