On December 11, 2025, Paul Fritcher passed away peacefully at his home in Fallon, Nevada. Paul was preceded in death by both parents. He leaves behind his wife, Athena, and two children: Richard Fritcher and Alicia Stine. Five grandchildren: Logan, Candice, Abby, Jordan, and Junior. Two stepchildren: Brandon Reidenbach and Jeralynne Reidenbach. Grandchildren: Mason and Taylor. One great-grandchild, Kaycee Adams. He also leaves behind his brother Ron, along with many cousins and friends.
Paul was born on September 19, 1956, in Detroit, Michigan, to Frances Ruffino. At the age of 18, Frances and her newborn son, Paul, moved from Detroit, MI, to Gardena, CA. In 1958, Frances married Joe Fritcher, and 2 years later, they had a second son, Ronald. Around 1963, Paul’s family moved to Lone Pine in the Owens Valley.
Paul always had an aptitude for mechanical engineering. It started with building his bicycles, and he favored the Schwinn Stingray. In his early teens, Paul also became interested in electronics and assembled many RadioShack projects. This interest stayed with him his entire life up to the point of being a Ham Radio operator. He also liked model trains.
Paul’s mechanical skills developed into building cars. His car of choice was a ‘65 Mustang, and the engines he favored in these early years were the 289 small block and the 351 Cleveland. His cars got faster over the years.
His attention to detail and skills led to many years as a helicopter mechanic with a company in Long Beach, CA., which acquired wrecked Hughes 300 training helicopters and reassembled them. Paul was a certified Airframe Mechanic. He could also pilot an airplane.
His career path led him back to the wens Valley where he hired on with a Geothermal Company. He started with them when they began building the Coso geothermal power plant. This gave him an encyclopedic knowledge of the workings of a steam plant. Years later he transferred within the company to the Dixie Valley plant outside Fallon. Paul could also frame a building.
Paul was an avid hunter and a lifetime member of the Stillwater Firearms Association. During his teen years, he was introduced to a lifestyle of hunting by means of horseback, packtrain and several day camping trips. These were yearly events led by his father into the Sierra Nevada. Later as Paul settled into Fallon, he maintained that passion for hunting. He and Athena favored hunting in Northern Nevada where they enjoyed the spectacular scenery and bounty of the game. He will be greatly missed. A gathering in Paul’s memory is scheduled for Saturday, January 7th 2026, at the Eagles Lodge, 7977 Reno Hwy, Fallon, please contact 775-423-4354 after January 3rd to confirm the time of the service.
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