Fritz Otto Stanke, 89, of Whitehouse, Tex., died May 27, 2020 in Tyler, Tex. He was born July 6, 1930 in Pampa, Texas to Fritz H. and Opal Land Stanke.
Fritz grew up in Dewar, Oklahoma and worked for PPG for 22 years. He was a four-year Veteran of the U. S. Navy, serving 13 months in Korea. He moved to Whitehouse in the early 1980s and because of his love of fishing in 1991 he purchased the "Fishing Barge" on Lake Tyler as a retirement hobby. He sold the business in 2010 to officially retire. Fritz was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church where he was a Deacon and remained an active member until his health declined.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Opal Ruth Stanke in 2008.
He is survived by his daughter, Renee McElroy of Whitehouse; brothers, Donald Stanke of Salina, Okla., and Claude Stanke of Schulter; sisters, Virginia Osburn of Blackwater, Virginia and Priscilla McGuire of Tonitown, Arkansas; grandson, Tim Scullawl of Whitehouse and great-granddaughter, Heather Scullawl of Tyler.
funeral services will be held Monday, June 1, 2020 at 2 p.m. at Jackson's Burks Walker Tippit Funeral Home Chapel in Tyler, Tex., with Rev. Sherman Mayfield officiating. Viewing will be held Saturday, May 30, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Funeral Home. Burial will be in Cathedral In The Pines Cemetery in Tyler.