Donald S. Fruechtemeyer

Donald Stanley Fruechtemeyer of Mason passed away on Thursday, January 7, 2021, at the age of 81. He was born in Cincinnati and lived in the greater Cincinnati area, mostly in Blue Ash, all his life. He met his future wife Trudy Hanna at University of Cincinnati, where she studied nursing, and he studied design at the College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning. After a career in office space design and planning at Cincinnati Milacron, Don changed his career focus to healthcare design. He and his brother, Allen, shared in a creative venture known as Art Wax Werke, known for its high-quality German-style wax Christmas tree ornaments.

Don was actively involved in the United Methodist Church and held lay leadership positions at Church of the Saviour in Montgomery and St. Paul's in Madeira. At age 70, Don heard a call to the ministry, and the church confirmed this call. He went to seminary and became a licensed local pastor. Pastor Don, as he became known, served several congregations in the West Ohio Conference, including St. Paul's in Madeira, Grace Church in Hamilton, Camp Dennison UMC, and Miamiville UMC. His final call was to Friendship UMC in Wyoming, where he was the Associate Pastor of Visitation.

Don had a passion for golf, both as a player and a spectator. He came by his love of golf naturally, having grown up on courses where his father had been a golf pro. One notable achievement was his hole-in-one at the Swaim Fields golf course. In retirement, he worked part-time at the Blue Ash Golf Course.

Don is survived by his wife, Trudy; his children, Dawn (married to Mark Goodman) and Scott (married to Kelly); and grandchildren Alexandra Goodman-Mitchell, James Goodman, Samuel Fruechtemeyer, and Molly Fruechtemeyer. His family and friends will miss his optimism, his sense of humor, and his enthusiasm for all Cincinnati sports teams. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friendship UMC or the International Myeloma Foundation .

Mueller Funeral Home is honored to serve the Fruechtemeyer family.