Mary Lou Dahl Fritsch-Wheeler

Honored by:Karine Mott, Kristi Spoth and Karla Fritsch
Brick location:B:10  map

Although outwardly noticed for her beauty (Bomb Beauty 1948), Mary Lou's beauty from her heart is the blessing she passes on. Whether as a home-maker (never a housewife), a mother, a wife, a "people person" or home ec. teacher, love comes through and she'll credit that to the love of Jesus Christ has shown to her.

Mary Lou was raised in Ames in a family that valued the education of women--"Educate a woman and you educate the next generation." During those first 50 years in Ames she mothered three girls, now all graduates of ISU ('74 '77 '87) she taught home economics in McCallsburg before marriage and at Ames Jr. High after her first daughter went to college.

She was active in Bethesda Lutheran Church with her Gamma Phi Beta sisters and relaxed with the Homewood Ladies. She married two ISU grads: E. Roger (Mike) Fritsch '48 until his death in 1977 and then she married John W. Wheeler '48 and moved to Marshalltown where she continues to make friends no matter what their age.

Her blessing continues to be passed on to the next generation as she treats each of her grandsons like a prince with simple pleasures as tea parties to vacations with each one.

4/16/94