Ruth Fritz, age 96, passed on Saturday, August 8, 2026, closing a long and beautiful life rooted in family, faith, and the simple joys that brought her happiness. Born in New London on August 7, 1930, to the late Frank and Ruth (Close) Lenz, she developed the values that shaped her entire life—kindness, devotion, and a deep love for the people around her. On November 8, 1947, she married Elmyron Fritz in New London, beginning a partnership marked by hard work, laughter, and unwavering commitment.

Ruth found joy in the everyday things that make a life rich. She was a gifted knitter whose hands were rarely still, a reader who loved getting lost in stories, and a gardener who coaxed beauty from the earth season after season. Ruth’s kitchen was a place of comfort, as she was a wonderful cook and baker, and her meals, desserts and cookies were as much an expression of love and creativity, as they were nourishment. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great‑grandmother, and her family will forever carry the warmth of her steady presence.

Creative, independent, caring, and endlessly selfless, Ruth lived with a quiet strength that touched everyone she met. Her faith was the gentle backbone of her days. She gave generously of her time to her church and her community, offering help wherever it was needed and living out her belief that service is one of the purest forms of gratitude.

Ruth is survived by her grandson, Greg (Joelle) Hoelzel; her great‑grandchildren, Ethan Hoelzel, Lucas Novak, and Lydia Novak; and her siblings, Frank Lenz, Lois (Bill) Knott, and Esther Rolf. She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and dear friends who will forever cherish her presence in their lives.

She is reunited in heaven with her parents; her husband of 35 years, Elmyron; her daughter, Linda (Robert) Hoelzel; and her grandson, Chris Hoelzel. The joy of their reunion brings comfort to those who mourn her here.

Visitation for Ruth will be held Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at O’CONNELL FUNERAL HOME (1776 E. Main Street, Little Chute), beginning at 4:00 p.m. and concluding at 5:45 p.m. Her funeral will follow at 6:00 p.m. with the Rev. Stanley Draper officiating. Committal will take place at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery.

Ruth leaves behind a legacy woven from love, service, and the countless small acts of care that defined her life. Those who knew her will continue to feel her presence, in the recipes passed down, the gardens tended with patience, the knitted blankets wrapped around loved ones, and the memories of a woman who lived with quiet grace.