Fritz A. Hand

Funeral Services for Fritz "F.A." Hand will be conducted from the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska on Monday, October 16, 2006 at 10:30 a.m. with Mr. Wayne Carlson, officiating. Interment will be in the Highland Union Cemetery in Gosper County, Nebraska.

Fritz Albert "F.A." Hand, 93 years of age, of Holdrege, Nebraska (formerly of Edison, Nebraska) passed away on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at the Christian Homes in Holdrege. He was born December 15, 1912 on the family farm north of Edison in Gosper County, Nebraska, the eldest of three sons of Albert Frederick and Martha (Rittgarn) Hand. He grew up on the family farm and always intended to be a farmer. He lived in a community that was to him the best of them all, teaching him honesty and truthfulness.

In 1930 Fritz met the young lady who soon became his wife. On February 18, 1931, he was united in marriage to Hazel Gertrude Whyte and to this union seven children were born: Geraldine, Jacquelyn, Walter, Larry, Janet, Phillip and a son who died in infancy. The family made their home north of the Union Church in Gosper County, Nebraska, in a house that was built for them by Fritz's father. In 1934, Fritz dedicated his life to Christ and soon began to preach the gospel at various churches and communities. Fritz took his first circuit in ministry at Sargent, Nebraska, where they lived until 1945. They then moved to Fremont, Nebraska for three years and Ewing, Nebraska for seven years, before returning to Edison in 1955. In 1964, Fritz and others formed and organized the Holiness Fellowship Church in Edison. Fritz also helped organize the Roy Lake Camp at Roy Lake, South Dakota, where for ten years a large group of Mennonites from Canada and the Holiness Fellowship people gathered for gospel services and fellowship. Fritz preached for more than 60 years, as long as his health permitted. In October of 2004, Fritz moved to Christian Homes in Holdrege.

Fritz was an avid reader of hundreds of books and a student of theology, wearing out many Bibles throughout his lifetime. He loved gardening, working with his hands and loved animals, especially caring for his sheep. He was a wonderful father and preacher of God's Word.

He leaves to mourn his passing and is lovingly remembered by his six children: Geraldine Bader and her husband, Dean of Yukon, Oklahoma, Jacquelyn Dwyer of Elgin, Nebraska, Walter Hand and his wife, Kris of Papillion, Nebraska, Larry Hand and his wife, Nancy of Kearney, Nebraska, Janet Warner and her husband, Wesley of Edison, Nebraska and Phillip Hand of Hebron, Nebraska; 17 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren and several great-great grandchildren; two brothers: Buster Hand and his wife, Bonnie of Sacramento, California and John Hand of Eldon, Missouri; sister-in-law, Myrtle Burris and her husband, Edward of Dunwoody, Georgia and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and Mennonite friends in Canada. He was preceded in death by his wife, Hazel in 1995; his parents; one son in infancy; one step-brother, Sam Fredrick; one step-sister, Cecil Lowe; one daughter-in-law, Sharon Hand and one son-in-law, Paul Dwyer.

Mr. Hand will lie in state at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska on Sunday, October 15, 2006 from 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

A memorial has been established in his memory and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.