On December 9, 2013 at
0003hrs, Chief Matthew
Charles Frantz, 42
passed away from an
apparent heart attack within 24 hours of responding to his fire station for a
mutual aid fire call.
Our
condolences to the Pierson Family & Friends, the Rice Lake Volunteer Fire
Department, and to all affected Fire Chief Matthew Charles Frantz's
passing.
Matthew
Charles Frantz is
survived by his wife, Jennifer; daughters Kirsten (Austin Hansen) and Madeline;
mother Linda Quade of Duluth; father Timothy Frantz (Sharon Field) of Duluth;
mother- and father-in-law, Lauralie and Rick Heckman of Superior; siblings Jason
and Dawn Frantz and Eric and Tammy Frantz, all of Duluth, Adam and Tricia Frantz
of Blaine, Minn., April Williams (Dan Thomas) of Superior; Roddi and Ryan
Turgeson of Cameron, Wis., Nathaniel and Heather Khalar of Duluth and Casey
Heckman of Superior; nieces and nephews Molly, Tyler, Ian, Josslyn, Grace,
Addie, Elizabeth, Hailie, Aiden, Aaron, Cashton, Michael, Meg, Miley, Destiny
and Brianna; great-nephew Lukas; and several cousins and many other relatives
and friends.
To date,
94 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2013. Year-to-date
monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online at U.S. Fire
Administration (USFA) Fatality Notices page.
