Samuel Fricke Jr. OBITUARY
Samuel Fricke Jr. passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 22, 2026 in Ontario, California. He was surrounded by his family and died of natural causes at the age of 89, which was in his ninetieth year of life. Sam was born in Greenburg, Kansas, on August 11, 1936, right in the middle of the Dust Bowl on the Great Plains. He was born to Minister Samuel Litwiller Fricke and Katherine Bechtel (Mininger) Fricke. Being the ninth child and the first son in his family made him proud; he loved sharing that he had eight older sisters and two younger brothers. He was born at home on the family farm located about one mile southwest of town. The house survived the devastating tornado of 2007 that destroyed Greensburg. His earliest memories include playing with his ten siblings around their home, enjoying his mother’s cooking, and visiting the Big Well with his dad. In 1944, Sam and his family moved to Cimarron, Kansas. He attended public schools there while living on a farm southeast of town. His family faced tragedy when his father passed away from illness in 1947 and then lost his brother Bobby in a traffic accident in 1951. Sam excelled at Cimarron High School as a star player for both football and basketball on the Blue Jays team before graduating in 1956. He then went to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater to play football while studying history for two years. During a school holiday back home to visit family, he met Sandra (Sandy) Carmichael during a double date set up for him in Dodge City-she would later become his wife for 67 years. They got married on May 25, 1959, just two weeks after Sandy graduated from Emporia State University with her degree in Elementary Education. After their wedding, Sam decided it was time to leave football behind and enlist in the United States Army’s 82nd Airborne Division instead. While stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, Sandy stayed with her parents until giving birth to their daughter Linda; soon after they were all reunited at Ft. Bragg until Sam received an Honorable Discharge from the Army. Upon returning to Kansas, he enrolled at Wichita State University where he completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Education by 1964 and earned a Master’s Degree there as well by 1965 before signing contracts with Ontario-Montclair School District as teachers alongside Sandy-this led them down Route 66 to start their new lives together in California. Sam began teaching at De Anza Junior High School where he worked until1980 covering various subjects but mainly focusing on social studies along with English classes and student government duties while serving as an advisor for several student clubs too! Every year he’d take student government classes on field trips to Magic Mountain; Linda and Marty have many great memories from those trips too! Teaching allowed him to make many lifelong friends during this time. Life took another turn when Marty was born; that same year Sam decided it’d be nice to build a vacation home within beautiful Prospect community located up high among mountains – clearing three acres himself by hand! He built a lovely two-story ranch house along with establishing another pasture outside town where they raised cattle together too! Their family spent countless sunny summers along with snowy winters making lasting friendships here. Briefly exploring cattle ranching/dairy business early into ’80s only convinced him teaching was truly what suited him best so after transferring from De Anza Junior High over five years later Marty ended up being one of students’ learning under Dad’s guidance again-eventually moving onto Imperial Junior High (now Ray Wiltsey Junior High), where he’d teach until retirement came knocking doorways open wide come summer break ’05! Overall accrued distinguished career spanning four decades working within Ontario-Montclair District meant so much! After retiring life became filled primarily around travel experiences/family activities along maintaining second residence out near Santa Maria CA enjoying hosting visitors discovering Central Coast attractions while indulging mild climate found locally – often driving around spotting various crops flourishing fields close-by! A member St. Louis Montfort Catholic Church situated Orcutt he’d also proudly belong Santa Maria Elks Lodge particularly enjoying famous Friday evening cook-your-own-steak dinners hosted each week there too however sadly declining eyesight hindered ability drive over last couple years alive. Towards end stages these last few years mobility decreased greatly yet mental sharpness remained intact kept active attending senior center daily watching Sandy exercise chatting everyone familiar face; weekly Masses continued taken part St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church Chino held dear phone calls cherished between loved ones far & wide still relatively healthy just days leading up passing occurred peacefully Kaiser Hospital Ontario surrounded once again by family-a true blessing indeed. Preceded death were parents/siblings eight total left behind devoted spouse children grandchildren great-grandchildren alongside remaining two sisters still standing strong through tough times together ahead! The services honoring Sam will take place as follows: Monday March ninth starting Rosary around four-thirty PM followed Vigil/viewing thereafter running five PM till eight PM Draper Mortuary located801 N Mountain Ave., Ontario , CA. Tuesday March tenth funeral mass commences ten AM held St Margaret Mary Catholic Church situated12686 Central Ave., Chino , CA afterwards processions occur Bellevue Memorial Park1240 W “G” St., Ontario burial happens eleven-thirty AM lunch reception starts one PM extends four PM right back Draper Mortuary site nearby again.Source link
