Francis "Fritz" La Verne Maddock

Francis “Fritz” La Verne Maddock, 75, of Aberdeen, and formerly of Guelph, ND, passed away Sunday, January 19, 2020, at Prairie Heights Healthcare in Aberdeen after a courageous battle with lung cancer.

His funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, January 23, 2020, at the Guelph Community Church in Guelph, ND. A luncheon and time of fellowship will follow at the Guelph Community School.

Burial will take place at a later date at the Ludden Cemetery in Ludden, ND.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary & Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the Guelph Community Church on Thursday.

Family and friends may sign Fritz’s online guestbook and also view his service via the live stream service link at www.schriversmemorial.com.

Francis “Fritz” La Verne Maddock was born on March 9, 1944, in Ellendale, ND to Madeline Rose (Tuchscher) and John Clifton Maddock.  Fritz was the oldest of three children born to Madeline and John, he spent his youth farming with his father in Guelph and graduated from Guelph High School in 1962.

Fritz joined the National Guard in 1965 and served two years before being honorably discharged.  He was a member of the Bean Goodwin American Legion Post in Oakes, ND for over 50 years.

Fritz was joined in marriage to Deborah Jane Day in Aberdeen, SD on October 12, 1968.  The couple made their home and farmed in the Guelph area for over 45 years.  It was there that they raised their three children, Timothy, Cristina and Wendy.  During the winter months Fritz worked at Hecla Implement and James Valley Auto Implement in Oakes, ND and enjoyed bowling with his Oakes Farmland Co-Op team.  Fritz was a founding member of the “Guelph Coffee Club” and started each day with coffee with the guys.  After retirement Fritz and Deb settled into their hobby farm near Aberdeen, SD, allowing Fritz space to work on his antique tractors and to display his treasured toy tractor collection.  Fritz was an active member of the Old Time Tractor Pullers Association of ND and later the Brown County Old Time Tractor Pullers Association, serving in multiple leadership roles.  He lived for tractor pulling every weekend in the summer and made many lasting friendships with his fellow tractor pullers over the years.  When not tractor pulling or fixing a tractor, Fritz was watching his favorite Minnesota professional sports teams, Gunsmoke, or politics on TV with one of the family pets on his lap.

Fritz is survived by his wife of 51 years, Deb; his children: Tim (Christine) Maddock, Oakes ND; Cristi (Christopher) Hedtke, Maple Grove, MN; Wendy Maddock, Cincinnati, OH; four grandchildren: James (Emily) Maddock, Logan Maddock, Cutler Hedtke, and Conner Hedtke; one great-grandchild, Jayden Maddock; his sister, Delores “Dee” (Larry) Oakland; his brothers and sisters in-law: Diana Skjefte, Clayton (Jane) Day, Jeff (Kathy) Day, Carla (Stephen) Parrish and Michael Day; and dear friend, Bob Courtney, the last surviving member of the original coffee club.

Fritz was preceded in death by his parents and his infant sister, Margaret Grace, and brothers-in-law, David Day and Verne Skjefte.