Francis “Fritz” Joseph Jaeger
“A Prince of a Fellow”, Francis “Fritz” Joseph Jaeger was born to German’s from Russia parents, Anton and Magdeline Hoffart Jaeger on July 12, 1930 in Glencross, South Dakota. He passed away in Yakima on February 23, 2017. The Dust Bowl/Dirty 30’s brought his family to the YakimaValley because there was work for able-bodied men and women to do. With German being Fritz’s first language he needed to learn English to pass first grade which he did at St. Joseph’s Elementary School where the Nuns used rulers to impress young minds. The family purchased an apple and pear orchard on 16th Avenue. After the Jaeger boys got big enough to work the orchard their Dad went to work at the Del Monte Cannery.
After graduating from Yakima High School in 1949, Fritz, a natural athlete enjoyed skiing and handball at the YMCA and Tennis Club, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force which took him to Japan for three years. His base commander liked football so a Far East Football team was formed and that kept halfback/fullback Fritz playing to make the General happy. The G.I. Bill financed his University of Washington Civil Engineering education, which led to work with John Mayo in the City of Yakima Engineering Office. The Yakima Tieton Irrigation project created the French’s Canyon Dam in Tieton that piped the Rimrock irrigation water underground and pressurized the irrigation system. As an engineer, Fritz worked the project with pride.
After retiring from Huibregste Louman Engineering at age 70 in 2001, Fritz and Betty traveled to England with brother, Doctor Ty Griffith and his wife, Donna. Traveling to visit children who had moved away from Yakima, allowed Fritz and Betty to travel to many states.
Surviving Fritz is his best friend and wife of 34 years, Betty. Fritz was the father of Jennifer Campbell, Fran Edler, Michael Jaeger and Dawn Reda; grandparents to eight grandchildren, Whitney and Stephanie Edler, Jacqueline, Hannah, Eman and Amnah Reda and Alia and Mikayla Jaeger and great-grandson, Sawyer who all survive him along with his siblings, Dolores Bohannon, Jim Jaeger, John Jaeger and Darlene Anderson. His marriage to Betty also brought Ted Jr. and Nadia Rudd and their children, Eric and Katya and Drs. Eric and Jane Rudd and their children, Megan, Katie, Erin and Joe into their family.
The family would like to thank Kurt and Jeanette Melton, Millie Tamaki, Sharon French, Susan Sugimoto, Sumiko, Helen Chin, Jen and Sharon for their weekly phone calls, Aging and Long Term Care, Home Health, David Doornink M.D., Senior Life Resources (Linda Mutch), Hospice and the caregivers at Arbor House.
A Graveside Service with Full Military Honors will be held at the Calvary Cemetery in Yakima if and when the Yakima weather gets warmer and the flowers that Fritz loved so much, bloom. Memorial contributions may be made to Yakima Valley Memorial Hospice. You may leave a message for the family at www.Prosserfuneralhome.com