R.C. Fritts

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[R.C. Fritts, 92, Harrisburg, died at 11:02 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010, at his home.

Mr. Fritts was retired 27 years after working at Pankey's Baker from the 1930s as a baker and route salesman. He served in the Army during World War II and worked in Detroit, Mich. He also owned his own business during the 1960s as a wholesaler to small neighborhood grocery stores, before working at Gibbs Fertilizer as a truck driver. He was a member of McKinley Avenue Baptist Church and a Mason.

He was born in Marion, Ky., on April 15, 1917, to Jasper Clay Fritts and Della Ratcliffe Fritts. He had seven brother (all deceased) and three sisters (only surviving Carlene Counts, Texas).

On Oct. 25, 2009, he married the former Mary Marie Futch, who survives. He was previously married to Guy Eva Brooks for 65 years. Their children were Richard Carl, Jerrol Keith (both deceased) and surviving children Linda Rae Goodman of Oldsmar, Fla., Treva Kay Gibbs of Harrisburg and Jeffrey Randall of Hopkinsville, Ky. Grandchildren are Tara Lynn Tokarski of Harmony, Fla., Heather Jo McDonald of Harrisburg, Seth Ann Fritts, Jamie Leigh Fritts and Jeremiah Keith Fritts, all of Harrisburg; and two great-grandchildren, Tyler Logan McDonald and Braum Dakota Tokarski.

Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010, at Reed Funeral Chapel. The Rev. Dewayne Taylor will officiate. Burial will follow in Sunset Lawn Cemetery with military rites to be conducted by the American Legion and VFW. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010, at Reed Funeral Chapel with Masonic rites at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family through the obituary page at the Internet site www.reedfuneralchapel.com.