Marie Lise Mariette Fritz

Marie was born to Leon and Grazillea Lord, the second youngest, on October 31, 1943 in Rockland Ontario.

Marie is predeceased by her husband Frank, both parents, Leon and Grazillea, her sisters, Denise and Monic and youngest brother, Michelle, all of Quebec, Canada.  She was also predeceased by her grandson, Lucas in 2006.

As a young child the family moved not far from Rockland Ontario to Pointe Fortune, Quebec.  This is where Marie met the love of her life, Frank Fritz, at the sweet tender age of 16.  She met her future husband Frank while working for him in his tiny restaurant in Pointe Fortune.  This is where they lived together before moving to the big city of Montreal, Quebec. 

It was not long after they moved to Montreal that their first child Andre was born in 1963.  The family lived in Montreal through the 1960’s.   In 1967 Frank was hired as a Chef at an eatery at the Worlds Fair Expo in 1967 in Montreal.  After Expo was finished Frank got word from his brother Tony to come to British Columbia, there was big money to be made there.  Frank took the advice of his brother Tony and soon left his family behind in Montreal and headed for the big money jobs in British Columbia’s fast growing logging industry. 

Frank managed to get a job as a cook in the extremely remote logging camp of Rivers Inlet, B.C.  Once Frank had got himself established in the logging camp, he sent for his family to join him at the logging camp.    Soon enough, both Marie and young son Andre arrived in the remote logging camp of Rivers Inlet.  Marie was in extreme shock at just how remote and isolated the logging camp was, she cried for many days, wishing she was back in the big city lights of Montreal.  Eventually she got the grasp of this tiny little place in the middle of nowhere.

The three of them were only in Rivers Inlet for a short time when Frank got himself a job at the newly built, Dalewood Inn Hotel, in the little bigger village of Port McNeill, also another fast growing logging community.  The owner of the hotel, Erwin Reinke, let the three of them stay at his own home until they could afford a home of their own. 

In 1970, their second child, Hugo was born, now known as Isabella.  Frank had managed to secure some housing, in what at the time, was called Dogpatch/Shelly, this was the place to live in at the time.  He then again managed to scrape up enough money to buy a little bigger house trailer in the Port McNeill trailer court, this was also the place to live at the time.  They lived in the trailer court for a few years until Frank managed to make a deal on a much bigger house trailer in the trailer court.   The only thing was, this house trailer would need to be moved to the upper area of town.  It was here that the family again would need a bigger place to live as the children were growing and needed more room.  After acquiring a lot just up the street from where they were living on Kingcome Place, they were able to purchase a brand new double wide trailer that would be lifted onto a full basement.  It was this double wide trailer on a full basement where the family would live until the children were grown and able to be on their own.

Frank, the love of Marie’s life, passed away in 2011, at the age of 79.  Marie would continue to live at this residence for some time.  Even though Marie suffered a severe stroke in 2012, she would continue to live here until she was no longer able to. 

Marie left Port McNeill in November of 2021 for a residential care facility in Nanaimo until her time of passing on August 4th, 2023 at the tender age of 79.

Marie leaves behind an extremely large group of friends that have known her for all the time she had been in Port McNeill.

Marie is survived by her son Andre and daughter Isabella and also leaves behind five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.