Magdalena "Maggie" Marie Fritz

Magdalena "Maggie" Fritz, 94, of Aberdeen, SD, entered eternal paradise on Friday, May 23, 2025, at Avera St. Luke's Hospital.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Maggie will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, with Father Gregory Tschakert officiating.

Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery.

A time for fellowship and lunch will follow the burial at the parish hall.

Visitation will be 5-7 p.m., Wednesday, May 28, at Schriver's Memorial Chapel, with a liturgical wake and rosary service starting at 7:00 p.m. Visitation continues one hour before Mass at the church.

Schriver’s Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 5th Avenue NW, Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at www.schriversmemorial.com. Services will be recorded and posted on Schriver’s website following the service.

Magdalena Marie Geier was born on March 3, 1931, in Bowdle, SD, to Frank and Margaretha (Heilman) Geier. Maggie’s early elementary education consisted of first grade at Heilman School and second to eighth grade at Huff School. Both schools were one-half mile from the Geier farm. She attended Bowdle High School. During her ninth and tenth grades, she lived with her Uncle Peter and Aunt Elizabeth Glatt. Maggie finished high school, living with her parents, and graduated in 1948.

After graduation from high school, she worked for her sister and brother-in-law, Betty and Mike Mitzel, at the family farm. Then she got a job with Doctor Miller, a dentist in Bowdle. During this time, she enjoyed attending dances with her friends. On June 10, 1952, she was asked to a dance by Richard Fritz at the dance hall in Selby, SD. In August of 1952, she moved to Denver, CO, with her friends looking for a new life. Richard Fritz showed up at her front door, and the rest is history. They married in Denver, moved to Mobridge, SD, and two years later had their first child, Brad. A year later, they built their first home, and soon after, Richard started working for General Motors. In 1966, they moved to Aberdeen.

Together, they raised five daughters and two sons. After the kids were out of the house, they would spend the next 20 years traveling to Arizona for the winter months. When they were back in South Dakota, they enjoyed fishing and camping next to the Missouri River, near Mobridge, SD, spending a lot of time with friends and family from Aberdeen.

Maggie always kept a spotless house and always had a meal ready for anyone who showed up at the dinner table. She had a passion for playing cards, especially bridge. She was the greatest host and often threw bridge parties for her friends.

After the passing of her husband in January 2012, Maggie moved into a condo, where she spent the next 10 years. Three years ago, she moved to Davis Court, where she spent all her time with friends and fellow residents playing cards and having wine parties, enjoying life to the fullest.

She is survived by her children: Brad (Linda) Fritz of Missoula, MT, Mary (Lee) Bjerke of Fargo, ND, Becky (John) Weismantel of Watertown, SD, Tom (Marlyce) Fritz of Bismarck, ND, Kathi (Todd) Stotz of Elkhorn, NE, Amy (Todd) Zens of Aberdeen, SD, and Nancy (David) Kruger of Twin Brooks, SD; 22 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Richard “Tony” Fritz; infant son, Joseph; parents, Frank and Margaretha (Heilman) Geier; in-laws Anton & Irene (Graham) Fritz; sisters: Barbara Harberer, Mary Mardian, Betty Mitzel, and Clara Meier; and great grandchild Liam Kummer.