Reuben  Alexander  Fritzler, 89, of Cape Girardeau died Friday, July 1, 2011 at Southeast Missouri Hospital.  He was born December 5, 1921 in Kimball NE to Peter and Elizabeth Grauberger Frohm Fritzler.

He and Emalyn T Schmidt were married June 9, 1946, in White SD and celebrated 65 years of marriage recently.  They were blessed with two children, Steven (Marilyn) Fritzler of Cape Girardeau and Gary Fritzler of Cordova, TN.  Also surviving are four grandchildren, Joshua (Jessica) Fritzler of Shepherdsville, KY, Rachel Fritzler of Dallas, TX, Jonathan (Melissa) Fritzler of Cape Girardeau, MO, and Daniel Fritzler of Las Vegas, NV, as well as a brother, Carl Fritzler of Wasilla, AK

He was preceded in death by his parents, eleven brothers and sisters, and two grandchildren, Adam and Clara Fritzler and their mother Lois Fritzler.

Reuben was a WWII Army veteran and served with the 836th Engineer Aviation Battalion in the South Pacific.  Following his honorable discharge he returned to Kimball, NE and worked for a short time in his uncle’s dairy business as well as with the Union Pacific Railroad out of Cheyenne, WY.  He graduated from barber school in 1951 and worked for Kelso Barber Shop in Kimball until he purchased the business and building in 1962 and opened Reuben’s Barber Shop.  He continued to operate the shop until he retired in 2001 after 50 years in the same location.  He also spent 30 years as the Kimball County Veteran’s Service Officer and assisted hundreds of veterans and their families with health care and military funeral arrangements.

Reuben had also served as Jaycee President, was a life member of the VFW, a member of the American Legion, a member of the Kimball Cemetery Board, and, most importantly to him, a member  of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kimball where he served in all leadership positions.  He was instrumental in starting Sunday School at the church and was heavily involved in the construction of the new St. John’s church building in 1956.

Visitation will be Sunday, July 10, 2011 from 1:30-3pm at Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel in Cape Girardeau, with the funeral service immediately following.  Burial will be at a later date in Kimball Cemetery in Kimball, NE.

He was an active member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel.  In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel.

Ford and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.  Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com