Fred Fritz Howly

He was born in La Crosse on January 23, 1917 to Henry and Elizabeth (Hettinger) Howly. He was one of six children. He lived his entire life in La Crosse with the exception of the four years he served in the United States Army. He attended and graduated from Holy Trinity grade school and Aquinas High School. After graduation he worked at the La Crosse Brewery and Frank-Len and Phillips 66 service stations until the time he was drafted into the Army in 1941. When World War II broke out, he was in training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. After completing training he served in Alaska, The Aleutian Islands and in Okinawa. After being honorably discharged from the Army, he returned home. On June 1, 1946, he married Eileen Wuensch, his wife of 64 years. Together they had three children. Two daughters, Janice and Nancy and one son, Gary. In 1947, he was appointed to the La Crosse Police Department. In 1967, he was promoted to Detective in charge of the Juvenile Division of the Detective Bureau, a position he held until the time of his retirement from the department in 1975. After leaving the La Crosse Police Department, he was appointed Undersheriff in La Crosse County. He retired from this position in 1982. After leaving the Sheriffs Department he was employed by Gundersen Clinic, where he worked in Patient Services. He retired from the clinic in 1991. Fritz enjoyed going to Packer and Bears football games, Brewer games and following them on TV. He enjoyed golfing and bowling, along with wood-working and making seasonal items and displays. He also enjoyed going to his Army Reunions and attending breakfasts with his former fellow workers and friends at Fayzes, Marges Rosies and the Hungry Peddler. His greatest enjoyment was spending time and doing things with his family. He was a member of the American Legion Post 52, the V.F.W., the Moose Lodge and the Professional Police Association. He was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen last February, his parents, brothers Charles,and Gene, sisters Marion Faas, Bernice Meyers and Charlotte Sutherland and a grandson, William Billy Smutny. He is survived by his daughters, Janice (Joseph) Aigner of Chicago, Nancy (Daniel) Smutny of Onalaska, and son, Gary (Cheryl) Howly of LaCrosse. Grandchildren Joseph Aigner of Milwaukee, Jeff (Juana) Aigner of Chicago, Jolene Haight of Marshfield, WI. Three great grandchildren, Felix Aigner, Kailee and Nevaeh Haight. Several nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, LaCrosse, with the Reverend Rick Roberts officiating. Entombment with military rites by the American Legion Post 52 will be in the St. Joseph Mausoleum at the Catholic Cemetery La Crosse. Friends may call on the family Monday evening at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home of La Crosse from 4:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. where a rosary will be recited at 7:00. Visitation will also be held at the church on Tuesday from 9:30 A.M. until the time of Mass. Memorials are preferred to Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the Diabetic Programs at Gundersen Lutheran and Franciscan Skemp, or the American Cancer Society. Husband, Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather. Dad you have touched our lives in so many unique and loving ways. You shall always be missed and loved but will live on strong in our hearts until we are all united again.