Venita Sue Adkisson Fritz, 77, of Arnold died Feb. 9, 2026. Mrs. Fritz met her husband while working for TWA and married on Sept. 28, 1968, in Chicago, Ill. They later moved to St. Louis, and her husband continued to work for TWA while she began babysitting in the home. In the 1990’s, she returned to school, obtained a secretarial degree and worked in several offices. Most recently, she was a substitute teacher filling in for elementary and pre-kindergarten classes. She was known as Mrs. Frizzle by most of the students. To her extended family, she was known as “Neet” and “Nana” to her grandchildren. Like her mother, she was an avid reader and enjoyed sewing and quilting, making a quilt for each of her grandchildren. She loved to accompany her kids on family vacations and was an avid trout fisherwoman. Second to her faith was her love for her family and family activities. She was a longtime member of Grace Freewill Baptist Church in Arnold, where she taught the toddler class for children’s church for more than 30 years and read Bible stories with Winkie Bear. Although she moved away from her hometown of West Plains, she remained close with her siblings, who still lived there and in other parts of Missouri. Until her illness, she rarely missed a family reunion or get-together. Born May 18, 1948, in Lunenburg, Ark., she was the daughter of the late Lillie Eudene and Ernest Adkisson.
She is survived by her husband: Joseph J. Fritz; her two children: Kimberly (Adam) Miller of Imperial and Kelly Fritz of St. Louis; three grandchildren: Luke (Cassie), Eli and Lydia; four great-grandchildren: Noble, Atlas, Holland and William; three siblings: Geneva (Gordon) of West Plains, Glennis of Lancaster and Dennis of West Plains; a brother-in-law: Ron Fritz of Protivin, Iowa; several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents-in-law and three sisters-in-law.
Visitation is scheduled from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, at Grace Free Will Baptist Church, 2258 Tenbrook Road, in Arnold. A funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at the church. Burial will be private. Arrangements are under the direction of Heiligtag-Lang-Fendler Funeral Home in Arnold.