Alfred “Fritz” Pherigo died at his Litchfield home Thursday, May 10, 2007. He was 91. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 15, at the United Methodist Church in Litchfield with Pastor Bob Kandels officiating. Visitation was from 12:30 p.m. until the time of the service at the church. Interment will be in the Lake Ripley Cemetery at a later date. Alfred Lawrence Pherigo was born April 8, 1916, in Litchfield to George and Margreat (Weber) Pherigo. Fritz grew up near Litchfield and attended Dist. 15 School. He was united in marriage to Myrtle Thompson June 27, 1936, at the Mission Church in Los Angeles, Calif. He started working for the railroad in 1943, and he worked for the Great Northern and then the Burlington Northern Railroad until he retired in 1976. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Litchfield and a life member of the Brotherhood of the Maintenance of the Way. Fritz enjoyed watching the Minnesota Twins, and played baseball for Darwin in his earlier years. He also enjoyed fishing, hunting, gardening, coin collecting, reading and playing Euchre. He is remembered as a neighborhood handyman and jack-of-all-trades, and for restoring furniture. Fritz was preceded in death by his parents, grandson David Bragg, daughter-in-law Jean Ellig Pherigo; brothers and sisters Bertha Looper, Lee Pherigo, Edward Pherigo, Martin Pherigo, Helene Bergfalk, Oliver Pherigo, Maybelle Campbell, Josephine Watt and Margaret Quigley. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Myrtle, of Litchfield; children George Pherigo of Harrisburg, N.C., Harold (and Sandra) Pherigo of St. Cloud, Diane (and Steve) Bragg of Litchfield, Arlene (and Alexander Jr.) Howanski of Sandwich, Ill.; grandchildren Cherlyn (and Pete) Gallagher of Mt. Holly, N.C., Dorianne (and Robert) Davis of Mt. Pleasant, N.C., Aaron Pherigo of Harrisburg, N.C., Coretta Pherigo of Minneapolis, Michael (and Heather) Bragg of Colorado Springs, Colo., Ann (and Bryan) Edwards of Vinton, Iowa, David (and Wendy) Sober of Ione, Calif., Ryan Dylla of Harrisburg, N.C., Alyson Dylla of Apple Valley; step-grandchildren Nicholas Howanski and Lauren Howanski of Lisle, Ill.; 17 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and many nieces and nephews. Arrangements were by Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home of Litchfield.
