Marshall Fritz
-Rest in Peace

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Marshall Fritz

Rest in Peace
1943 - 2008



Marshall Fritz passed away Tuesday, November 4, 2008, after a battle with pancreatic cancer.



On the anniversary of his death, we'd like to share a wonderful remembrance of Marshall - posted by a friend of his daughter, Annie.



Marshall was a true friend and mentor. That's what he's been to me. Even during the last days of his life, when I was privileged to spend some time with him, he set an example of a life well-lived and considered.

Like a good teacher, he always showed his love for people by not letting us get away with fuzzy thinking. At the same time, like a good friend, he would try to give anyone a chance.

More than anything else, Marshall was a man devoted to truth and goodness. He stood fast on principle, solid as the rock he often seemed when those around him wavered or doubted.

As a friend, Marshall's hope for all of us is that we will also stand firm in uncertain times, boldly living out and defending the principles that we know are good and true and beautiful.

And now, I say to Marshall, as he would often say to those he cared about:

"Goodbye, my friend."

Alan Schaeffer
Former President - Alliance for the Separation of School and State
President - Network for Educational Opportunity



Eulogy 
 
The
eulogy for Marshall was presented by Virgil Swearingen, long-time friend of Marshall, on Friday, November 7, 2008, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Clovis, California.



Special Tribute

 

On November 19, 2008, Ron Paul gave a moving tribute to Marshall Fritz in the House of Representatives. His tribute is now part of the Congressional Record.



About Marshall

 

In 1994 Marshall founded the Alliance for the Separation of School & State and was Chairman of the Board until his death. He was a leading spokesman in how ending state, federal, and local government involvement in schooling can improve education for all children, strengthen the family, and even lead to a turnaround of our collapsing society.

Prior to founding the Alliance in 1994, Marshall was president of the unaccredited Pioneer Christian Academy. His ideas for high quality education were so advanced that his school received endorsements of educators from William Glasser to Nobel Laureate Milton Friedman to New York State Teacher of the Year John Taylor Gatto.

Prior to his work in K-12 education, Marshall was the founder of the Advocates for Self-Government, an educational organization that teaches Americans who ardently love liberty how to express their views positively. Marshall began his career with IBM in computer sales, education, and design. He was active in Christian Businessmen's Committee, Serra Club (not Sierra), Toastmasters, and Overeaters Anonymous. He also coached and refereed youth soccer and worked as a volunteer in a homeless shelter.

Marshall has been published in the Wall Street Journal, Educational Leadership, Current Thoughts and Trends, and Family Voice. He is the publisher of The Education Liberator, The School Liberator, and the lead author of the "Proclamation for the Separation of School and State," which states simply "I proclaim publicly that I favor ending government involvement in education."

Worldwide, more than 30,000 individuals have endorsed the Proclamation. Prominent signatories include educators ranging from John Taylor Gatto to Mary Pride and Thomas Szasz; business people such as Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino's Pizza; religious leaders from D. James Kennedy and Tim LaHaye, to Rabbi Daniel Lapin and the late Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.; and from Congressman Ron Paul to former U.S. Secretary of Interior and Energy Don Hodel.

 

The idea to liberate schools from government involvement is a new idea that is moving into the mainstream, specialty, and electronic press, including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Daily News, Detroit News, Dallas Morning News, Financial Times of London, Human Events, Conservative Chronicles, Practical Homeschooling, Christianity Today, WorldNetDaily.com, FoxNews.com, and has received editorial endorsement from the Orange County Register and World magazine.

If you would like to read some of Marshall's articles,
we compiled a list for our website.

Over the years Marshall reviewed 31 books at Amazon.com. If you would like to read his reviews,
we copied them into our website.

 


 

Memories of Marshall

 

When Marshall learned of his diagnosis, he created his "Bucket List" website. If you would like to see the site and tributes posted to Marshall, we have transferred them to our site. 

Here are links to other tributes to Marshall:

 

Will Buchanan Interview with Varrin Swearingen, president, Free State Project

The Advocates for Self-Government

Sheldon Richman on George Mason’s History News Network

Jim Babka, Positive Liberty

Tammy Drennan, Education Conversation

The Fresno Bee, Vanessa Colon

Don Boudreaux, Cafe Hayek

Lisa Snell, ReasonOnline

James W. Harris, American Chronicle

Classically Liberal

Lew Rockwell

Wendy McElroy

Stephen Carson

Less Antman, Last Free Voice

R. Lee Wrights on Liberty for All

Kalim Kassam on Western Standard

Sunni Maravillosa

Jim Rongstad on Preserving Freedom

Republican Liberty Caucus

Libertarian Party USA

Wisdom Dancer

Universidad Francisco Marroquin

Clovis News Journal

Orange County Register

Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania

 

 


 

Reaction to Marshall's Death


When notice of Marshall's death went out, we received responses from people around the world. Here are some of those responses.



 

Pictures of Marshall

Marshall's favorite pictures


Memories of Marshall - Family and Friends


In June 2008 the Alliance sponsored special tributes -
Saturdays with Marshall - in Fresno and Hollywood to honor Marshall while he was still in good health and could enjoy the day. We hope our pictures help you get a feel of the love and camaraderie of the events.

In May 2008 the Advocates for Self-Government also had a special tribute for Marshall in Atlanta, Georgia.




Obituary published in The Fresno Bee

Marshall William Fritz died peacefully Tuesday, November 4, 2008 of pancreatic cancer. He was born in Inglewood, CA on March 10, 1943. He is survived by his wife of forty-four years, Joan; his son, Eugene Fritz of Calwa; his three daughters and their husbands: Susan and Christopher Bethea of Clovis, Lucie and Tony Ruiz of Fresno, Ann and Kyle McKenna of Pittsburgh, PA; twelve grandchildren and his brother, Russell Fritz of Baja, Mexico.

Marshall was an intelligent, witty man who founded three non-profit organizations, the most recent being the Alliance for the Separation of School and State.

A Catholic mass will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Clovis, CA on Friday, Nov. 7th at 5:15pm and a graveside service will be held on Sat. Nov. 8th at the Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Orange, CA at 12pm.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Marshall Fritz Lectureship Fund, c/o Alliance for Separation of School & State, 1071 N. Fulton Street,  Fresno, CA 93728. 


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November 4, 2009

 

Some of the more
well-known signers of our proclamation:

Ed Crane
President, Cato Institute

John Taylor Gatto
1991 New York State Teacher of the Year

Fr. John A Hardon
SJ
RIP
The Catholic Catechism

Don Hodel
Former Secretary of Interior

D. James Kennedy
Coral Ridge Ministries

Rev. Tim LaHaye
Left Behind

Rabbi Daniel Lapin
President, Toward Tradition

Tom Monaghan
Founder, Domino’s Pizza

Ron Paul
US Congressman, Texas

John K Rosemond
Parenting Author, Columnist, Speaker


They and thousands of others have signed Our Proclamation
:

"I favor ending government involvement in education."