Fred Fritzinger, 74, of Kirksville, Mo., and formerly of Anna, Ill., died Thursday, Feb. 28, 2002, at Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville.

He was born Oct. 6, 1927, at Anna, son of Fred and Vernetta Medlin Fritzinger.

He was a member of the First Methodist Church in Anna and the Methodist Men's Club. In Kirksville, he started the interchurch ministries and was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. He also was a past member of the Anna Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite Bodies of East St. Louis, Ainad Shrine Temple of East St. Louis and the Anna Kiwanis Club.

He was a reporter for the Gazette-Democrat and a correspondent for the Cairo Evening Citizen, the Chicago American, the St. Louis Globe-Democrat and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He was the Union County representative for United Press International and was a correspondent for the St. Louis Star-Times. He moved to Kirksville in 1971 and worked for the Kirksville Daily Express as a copy editor until retiring in 1991.

Friends may call from 5-8 p.m. Monday at Crain Funeral Home in Anna. Masonic rites will be conducted at 7 p.m. Monday by Anna Lodge 520 AF&AM.

Funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Sidney Davis officiating. Burial will be in Anna Cemetery.