Geraldine V.
Fritz
(Nee Krysco)Entered Eternal Life on the 4th day of February, 2026, age 92. Immortal beloved wife of Dr. Robert J. Fritz. Loving mother of Attorney Karri L. Fritz-Klaus (the late Attorney Thomas A. Fritz-Klaus), Vicki Ann Fritz, Lori Moss (Ron Moss), Attorney Robert J. Fritz II (Simona Fritz), and Jami S. Fritz. Adoring grandmama of Roberta L. and Christian Thomas FritzKlaus, and Robert J. Fritz III. Adored daughter of the late Walter J. and Ann Krysco. Devoted sister of the late Mary Ann Richter (Dr. Richard Richter). Graduate of St. Mary’s Academy, where she taught music and humanities for many decades, and St. Mary’s College, where she held the leads in opera along with the University of Notre Dame. Mrs. Robert J. Fritz was instrumental in laying the foundations for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Early Music Now, and the Rhinelander School of the Arts, with her association with the Milwaukee Art Museum. She was an amazing teacher to a thousandfold of students and is long remembered for being the best of the best of their teachers, especially her courses on “Living with the Arts” and “The Ascent of Man.” She left her mark on humanity, and the world became a little more luminous.
A visitation will be held Friday, February 13th from 11:30-12:45 at St. Mary Catholic Faith Community, 9520 W. Forest Home Ave. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 1PM.
My grandmother was one of the strongest, kindest, and most positive people I have ever known.
Whenever I think of her, I think of my dad — not only because she shaped the man he became, but because through him, she also shaped me.
I see her in the way he treats people, the way he loves his family, and the values he lives by. And those same values were passed down to me.
She taught me that kindness is not weakness — it is strength.
She showed me patience when things were difficult, and resilience when life didn’t go the way we hoped.
But most importantly, she guided me in faith. She came to my baptism in Venice, at St. Mark’s Basilica beneath the watch of Leonardo da Vinci’s bronze horses & Lions stand— a place where earth feels very close to heaven.
She taught me to trust God, and to keep believing even when life feels uncertain.
Today we say goodbye, but I don’t believe her life simply ended. No…
It continues in what she gave us — in my father, and in me.
Every time I choose patience over anger, faith over fear, and kindness over indifference…
that is her still present in my life.
And for that, I will always be grateful.
Carpe Diem…
My mother-in-law was a petite woman with a massive zest for life and a drive to live it to the fullest.
She didn’t hesitate for a moment to fly to Venice alone at 76 for her grandson’s christening.
She loved travel, classical music, opera, singing, poetry, galleries, antiques, and African art. She had a taste for sophisticated fashion, loved the colors black and purple, fine art, bold jewelry, castles and chateaus, quality films, Tai Chi, and heartfelt greeting cards.
She adored her two dogs, churches, attending Mass, the “Up North” outdoors, Prague, NYC, Italian Chianti, and tiramisu.
Her unmistakable trademark was her black sunglasses, which she often wore even during our lunches or dinners.
She raised five children (for which she has my deepest admiration), was a loving grandmother to three grandchildren, and—in her unique Sagittarius energy—an inspiring mother-in-law.
She was born on December 12th, which is the feast day of Simona. As they say, nothing is a coincidence.
She loved reading her daily dose of inspiration from the book Simple Abundance. She even gave me a copy with a personal dedication. That book will stay on my nightstand, and through its thoughts (often underlined by her), we will remain forever connected between heaven and earth.
With Love,
Simonka
Karri I am so sorry for the loss of your mother!! I went to St. Mary’s Academy with you (Linda Janczewski). Your dad was my doctor and delivered my son in 1980!! My thoughts are with you and your entire family.
“I was a classmate of Bobby at Wayland Academy. From the moment we met on the soccer field as sophomores, Bobby never looked at my color. As a matter of fact, I don’t ever remember our different skin color or backgrounds ever being a subject for discussion, except him being curious about a world he didn’t know.
I attribute his long-standing curiosity as a cornerstone of his character, a virtue I believe was cultivated by his mom. To have an eternal understanding of the human condition and of the psyche was, without question, a cornerstone of his loving mom’s nurturing.
Mrs. Fritz was always loving. When I saw her, she would treat me as if I were her son. During parents’ weekend at Wayland, our moms would hug and kiss each other as if they were long lost sisters. And that’s one of the many ways I will remember Mrs. Fritz-as a loving mom, teacher, and wife who had an unending pursuit of building harmony and community wherever she worked and lived. May God bless her loving spirit, which will dwell within her children for the rest of their lives.”
Meeting Dr. and Mrs. Fritz and Bobby‘s sisters went a long way in informing me how Bobby became the teenager I first met and the man that Bobby became. In what world it be natural for a person to bring a giant medieval painting to boarding school? How could Bobby have become a Renaissance man before he became a man? Visits to Hales Corners answered the questions.
The holiday cards from the Fritz’s further revealed the unique nature of Bobby’s upbringing.
Celestial? Light? Transformation?
It has been an honor of a lifetime to know the Fritz’s. Our lives are changed much for the better knowing such. Caring, interested, and interesting people exist and still exist through influence.
I’m sorry we can’t be there with you today. Please accept our condolences and know that we will always be thinking of you.
A beautiful and amazing woman has left this earth. Her love and passion for learning and the arts will burn in the cosmos and continue to radiate into the rest of us both directly through her heroic work and indirectly through those she touched. I met Robert at a summer program in England when we were in law school. He quickly began inculcating in me a passion for culture and the arts that I am grateful for still. Upon meeting his mother, I understood where my thanks really rested. What a special person and what an extraordinary life.
I met Bobby when we were around 15 at Wayland Academy, and not long after that I had the privilege of meeting Mrs. Fritz. From the very beginning, she made me feel welcome in her home and comfortable in her presence—something that means a lot to a teenager far from his own. She had a beautiful mix of artistry, idealism, and energy, and she carried herself with such elegance. Mrs Fritz was always kind, always thoughtful, and genuinely interested in the people around her. Decades later, I still remember how she made me feel: seen, valued, and at home. I’m grateful to have known her, and her warmth clearly lives on through Bobby and his family.
We share in your sorrow over the loss of Robert’s mother.
Geri was an amazing, beautiful, and loving woman. I will never forget her visit to us in Kroměříž ( Czech Republic) and how she held me so tightly, as if she wanted to tell me something but couldn’t. I can still feel her grip and her embrace.
She was so tiny and fragile, yet possessed such an incredible perspective on life. She was interested in everything, and everyone should strive to have her level of emotion, as these qualities are what strengthen one’s health. Her knowledge of art and the beauty of life was inherited by her son and her grandson, Robby.
If only we all had her gift for forgiveness, her ability to rise above things, and her knack for finding joy in the little things.
I am so glad I got to know Geri; we had so much in common. Body language and facial expressions were enough for us to understand each other perfectly.
Loving Geri is still here with us; her genes will remain here forever. Thank you, Geri, for them!