Obituary of Frederick "Fritz" E. Poklar

Frederick E. “Fritz” Poklar, resident of The Villages, FL, and formerly of Kane, PA, passed away on January 30, 2021, at the age of 87 at the Ocala Regional Medical Center.  Fritz was born on June 9, 1933, in Maryland, NY, the son of Henry, Sr. and Mary (Strauss) Poklar, and grew up in the town of Crosby, PA.  In 1950, Fritz graduated from the Smethport Area High School, proceeding to serve his country in the United States Army as a Corporal in the Military Police.  He served in Germany where he received the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Medal and upon his Honorable Discharge in 1955, Fritz joined the Pennsylvania State Police.  After graduating from the Pennsylvania State Police Academy in Hershey, PA, he was stationed in the Butler, Beaver Falls, and New Castle barracks.  While stationed in New Castle, he met his loving wife, Sandra Mary Ann Pagley.  Upon their marriage on August 8, 1964, the couple established their home in Kane.  Fritz worked as a mechanic with his brother at Jacobus-Poklar Motors and then joined the United States Postal Service in 1967.  He retired in 1996 and he and Sandy moved to The Villages in 2000, where they both enjoyed the warm weather and many other activities.

While in Kane, Fritz and Sandy welcomed 2 sons, Thomas and Steven.  During their years in Kane, he was active with his family and in the community.  He was as a member of the American Legion, VFW, and Elks Lodge, served on the board of directors for the Kane Country Club, and was a parishioner at St. Callistus Church.  Fritz was an avid bowler and golfer but was well known as the Window Clerk at the Kane Post Office.  He also spent cold mornings removing the snow from driveways of friends and neighbors and summers cutting and splitting wood.  Since retiring to The Villages, Fritz and Sandy have still maintained strong ties to friends in the Kane area.  However, Fritz very much enjoyed the golf and life in The Villages, shooting 5 Holes-in-One in 2005, working the Bingo games for the Alhambra Village, watching Penn State football games with fellow members of the Tri-County Chapter of the Penn State Alumni Association, and having breakfast with Alhambra neighbors on Friday mornings. 

Surviving Fritz are his wife of 56 years, Sandy, and his sons Tom (Robin) of Erie, PA, and Steve of Seattle, WA.  Preceding him in death are his parents, brothers Henry, Jr., Robert, and Richard, and sisters Rose and Amelia (Milly).  There will be a private family viewing and then friends are welcome to attend the Funeral Mass at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lady Lake, FL, on February 5, 2021, at 8:30am.  Fritz’s final resting place will be at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL, at a date to be determined.  Funeral arrangements are being done by Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, The Villages, FL, and online condolences may be made at hiers-baxley.com.  In lieu of flowers, the Poklar family asks that donations be made to either the St. Callistus Catholic Church, 342 Chase St., Kane, PA 16735, or St. Timothy Catholic Church, 1351 Paige Place, Lady Lake, FL 32159.