Services: 11 a.m. Monday, July 20, Parker Mortuary in Joplin. Burial in Stone Cemetery, Diamond Grove. Visitation: 4 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the mortuary.
Terry Taylor officiated.
Escorts were Carter Burkes, David Burkes, Nathan Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Bill Kimbrel and Will Kimbrel. Honorary escorts were Lonnie Houston, Wayne Rieschel, John Eckhart and Virgil Carr.
Mitchell L. Fritchey, 73, was born Feb. 17, 1942, in Seneca, the son of Sherman and Mary (Provins) Fritchey. He died July 17, 2015, at his home surrounded by his family after battling a short illness.
He graduated from Sarcoxie High School in 1960 and served in the National Guard.
He began his newspaper career while still in high school at Sarcoxie. He worked for the Kansas City Star, the Joplin Globe and the Aurora Advertiser. He was the owner, editor and publisher of several Missouri weekly newspapers, including the Republic Monitor, Douglas County Herald, Dallas County Republican and the Buffalo Reflex.
In 1975 he served as a press aide in Washington, D.C. for U.S. Congressman Gene Taylor. After moving to Joplin in 1979 he owned and operated Fast Copy Printing and Pro-Print in Pittsburg, Kan., for over 25 years.
He was a Christian and had attended First Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church in Joplin.
Mitch was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Lyle Fritchey; and a sister, Zee Louise Fritchey.
Survivors include his wife of 23 years, Joyce Carr Baldridge Fritchey, of the home; daughter: Robyn and husband, David Burkes, Lone Tree, Colo.; two stepdaughters: Becky and husband, Terry Taylor, and Amanda Baldridge, all of Joplin; six grandchildren: Grace Burkes and Carter Burkes, Lone Tree, Colo., Molly Taylor and Nathan Taylor, Pensacola, Fla., Ryan Taylor and Leeann Taylor, both of Joplin; his sister, Linda Lea and husband, Bill Kimbrel, Joplin; four nephews: Grant Fritchey, Will Kimbrel, Richard Fritchey and Matt Fritchey; one niece, Michelle Fritchey Hughes; and his former wife, Karen Fritchey.
