Patricia Fritzel died at home, with her family, July 11, 2008,
Patricia Olive Leonard was born on March 15, 1936, in Mitcham,
Surrey, England. In1947, she was awarded a scholarship
to Mitcham County School For Girls studying English, literature,
languages, music, and art. She completed an English and French
teaching degree at Goldsmith College in 1958 – including a year off
as a fifi lle au-pair in Boulonge, France.
After teaching for four years in England, she emigrated to Canada and taught high school in
Port Alberni from 1962-1964. There she met her husband, Alfred Fritzel, also teaching in Port
Alberni. Alfred and Patricia were married at on July 25, 1964 in Mitcham, Surrey, England.
They both taught for one year at Red Hill Technical College in Surrey, England. In 1965, they
traveled by Cunard ocean liner and train to Maple Ridge, British Columbia, where they both
worked from 1965 – 1968. They settled in Salmon Arm in 1968, both teaching at Salmon
Arm high school.
Patricia loved to garden, had a great appreciation of nature, and a great love of music. She
sang in many choirs throughout her life, including the Shuswap Singers, the United Church
Choir and the Aura Chamber Choir of Vernon. She loved her adopted country, her church
community, and working for social and environmental justice. She was a member of the
Council of Canadians, the Kairos group at the United Church, Shuswap Environmental Action
Society, and the Canadian Cancer Society.
She is survived by her husband Alfred, her children Anne in Olympia (husband Tom and
children Adam and Samuel), Gene in Dawson Creek (wife Kim and children Andrew and
Nicholas), and Graham in Red Deer, Alberta, and her sister Kathleen in Great Britain.
A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. at the United Church of
Salmon Arm on Saturday, July 19, 2008. Patricia’s remains will be
interred in the family plot in Pleasant Valley Cemetery.
In lieu of flfl owers, contributions may be made to the
Canadian Cancer Society, Box 3451, Salmon Arm,
BC, V1E 4S2.
Arrangements entrusted to FISCHER’S FUNERAL
SERVICES & CREMATORIUM LTD., Salmon
Arm, 9250) 833-1129, condolences may be
e-mailed to fifi schers@sunwave.net.
English literature
Patricia Olive Fritzel