Fritz Ackley  65

The Sawyer County Record, Hayward, WI
5-28-2002

Florian 'Fritz' Ackley, 65, of Hayward, passed away
Wednesday, May 22 at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, Minn.

Florian Fredrick 'Fritz' Ackley was born April 10, 1937 in the township of Hunter in Sawyer County, the son of Kenneth and Anne (Wende) Ackley. He graduated from Hayward High School in 1954. He married Lucille Hamblin on Aug. 6, 1957 in Hayward. Fritz spent 13 years as a professional baseball player, with eight of those years spent under major league contract as a pitcher. He played for the Chicago White Sox, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Pittsburgh Pirates. After retiring from baseball in 1968, he owned and operated the Chip-A-Flo Lodge on the Chippewa Flowage for 13 years. He was currently a salesman for North Country Business Products.

Fritz helped to organize the Hayward Hawks baseball team, and also played for them for many years. He loved the outdoors, especially hunting, fishing and trapping. He was a member of First Lutheran Church and of the Retired Major League Baseball Alumni Association.

He is survived by his wife, Lucille; two sons, David (Carol), Hayward, and Douglas (Lois), Bemidji, Minn.; four daughters, Kathy (Chuck) Groth, Hayward, Sheila (Marty) Dubois, Proctor, Minn., Sharon (Dan) Shea, Superior, and Janna (Hugh) Duffy, Carlton, Minn.; 11 grandchildren; one step grandson; his mother, Anne Ackley, Hayward; four brothers, Floyd (Marlene), Loretta, Robert, Warner Robins, Ga., James (Jackie) Merrill, Wis., and Bruce (JoEllyn), Colorado Springs, Colo.; three sisters, Patricia Martina, Bensonville, Ill., Jean Barber, Stone Lake, and Joan (Orrie) Boettcher, Phillips; his aunt, Ede Sibley, Brookfield; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father.

The funeral service was held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28, at First
Lutheran Church in Hayward with Pastor Carl Bruihler officiating. A
visitation was held on Monday evening from 4 to 7 p.m. at the
Anderson-Nathan Funeral Home, and again at the church for one hour prior to the service on Tuesday. Interment will be in the Greenwood Cemetery in Hayward.

Honorary bearers were Shawn Brinkman, Don Dennis, Jim Napier, Fred Talbot, Clarence ³Red² Tischer, Bob Woodbeck, and Al Zibolski. Casket bearers were Jerry Berard, Wayne Berard, John Frisbe, Cal Gordon, Don Henderson, Harold Treland, Bruce West and David Williamson.

The Anderson-Nathan Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.