Terrance Franklin Fratella, 29 Jul 1949 - 19 Dec 2016

FRATELLA, STEVENS, MANTZ

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 2/1/2017 at 10:02:34

Terrance "Terry" Franklin Fratella, 67, of Fairfax, "rounded third and headed for home" to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ, on Monday, Dec. 19, 2016, in Cedar Rapids. He was surrounded by his beloved wife, Jeanne; and two sons, Dennis and Scott. Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Marion. Funeral service: 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Marion, with a luncheon to follow. Burial will be on Friday, immediately following lunch, at the Marengo Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to St. Paul's Lutheran Church or the Cedar Hills Baseball Booster Club. Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Terry was born in the Bronx, N.Y., on July 29, 1949, to Frank and Opal (Stevens) Fratella. Terry attended St. James Catholic Elementary and High School in Penns Grove, N.J., graduating in 1967. He attended Charles City Junior College, Charles City, Iowa, for one year, then Simpson College, where he graduated with a B.A. in psychology. His first job was at Glenwood State Hospital School, where he met Jeanne. They were married on June 24, 1972, at Roadside Park in Marengo. In 1973, he began working for Kirkwood College at the Skill Center as a counselor. In 2007, he retired from full-time work but continued part time until January 2016.

Terry's three loves were Jesus, family and friends, and baseball. Terry coached for 20 years, impacting many young lives in the Hiawatha Kids League, Cedar Hills Booster Club and Babe Ruth Baseball League. His ministry was to teach players life lessons through the game of baseball. He especially enjoyed coaching his sons and passed on his love for the game to them. Terry was also very active in church, serving as an elder, Stephen minister and leader and communion assistant. His family and friends knew him for his quick wit and dry sense of humor.

Terry was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Joel, in infancy; father-in-law, Harold Mantz; and brother-in-law, Wayne Mantz.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 44 years, Jeanne Mantz Fratella; son, Dennis (Yvonne) of Cedar Rapids; son, Scott (Tonya) of Ankeny; grandchildren, Braylon, Luca, Ewan, Hayden, Hugo and Sean; and special friends in his life, Harold and Phyllis Rosenberry, Dave Kerton, Gale Pierce, Kay Bone and Sean Moffett.

Born with cerebral palsy, Terry overcame many challenging obstacles in his life. He never complained, accepting the course that God laid out for him.

Online condolences may be left at www.klosterfuneralhome.com.

The Gazette, Posted on Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Williamsburg Journal Tribune, 28 Dec 2016, pg 8