Obituary of Rev. Frederick E. (Fritz) Widmeyer

Rev. Frederick E. (Fritz) Widmeyer HERKIMER - Rev. Frederick E. (Fritz) Widmeyer, 75 formerly of Dolgeville/Salisbury and since April of 2000 a resident of the Claxton Manor, Herkimer passed away Monday, April 21, 2003 at the Folts Home, Herkimer. He was born on February 28, 1928 in Croghan, NY the son of the late E. Frederick and Rebecca E. (Bramhall) Widmeyer. He was a graduate of the Beaver River Central School Class of 1946, received his A.A. degree from Jefferson Community College, Watertown in 1965, received his B.A. degree in Psychology from SUNY Oswego in 1967, received his Master of Divinity degree from the United Theological Seminary in 1970. He was ordained Deacon by the Northern New York conference of the Untied Methodist Church in 1969 and was ordained Elder in 1971. Inspired by Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy he became an amateur ventriloquist and magician. He gave workshops in ventriloquism and puppetry for church clown camps. Although he had a crippled left hand he played several musical instruments including piano, recorder, ukulele, guitar, banjo, trumpet and trombone. Rev. Widmeyer was a trumpet player with the Merry Makers dance band from 1944 - 1946 and was active in Beaver Falls Firemen's Minstrel Shows. Rev. Widmeyer from June of 1970 to June of 1977 served as Pastor of the Brasher Falls United Methodist Church and from July of 1977 until his retirement in 1993 he served as Pastor of the Salisbury and Stratford United Methodist Churches. He was a member of the Salisbury Grange, the Dolgeville Rotary Club, where he was a Paul Harris fellow and a trustee of the Kirby Free Library, Salisbury Center. In 1984 he traveled to Europe and witnessed the Oberammagau Passion Play. He also experienced the thrilling adventures such as going to the top of Mt. Piltaus in Switzerland and seeing the concentration camps at Dachau. In 1987 her traveled to the Holy Land on a study tour. Rev. Widmeyer is survived by 2 sisters Doris Bosma and her husband Ivan, Canajoharie and Dorothy Sherwood and her husband Charles, Ft. Plain and several nieces and nephews. Graveside services will be held on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 at 11:00 am at the Dibble - Tuttle Cemetery, Town of Salisbury with the Rev. David Oretel, Chaplain of the Folts Home, Herkimer officiating. Arrangements are by the Chapman-Moser Funeral Home, Inc., 42 N. Ann Street, Little Falls. There are no calling hours. It is the wish of the family that contributions in memory of Rev. Widmeyer be considered to the Folts Home, 104 N. Washington St., Herkimer,, NY 13350 Envelopes are also available at the funeral home for this purpose.