Dr. Fritz Schas

Dr. Fritz Schas

Dr. Daniel Francis Schas, known to family and friends as "Fritz," died peacefully on Jan. 17, 2019, after a long illness. Fritz was born July 16, 1941 in Memphis, where he spent most of his life. He graduated from Memphis University School in 1959. After studying history, German and philosophy at UT Knoxville, he graduated with a BA degree.

The next year he joined the US Army Reserves Intelligence Service and attended their East Coast Language School in Washington DC. Upon completion of his reserve duties, he travelled extensively abroad and worked for a year in Kashmir in the financial services industry. It was in India that he decided to become a physician. Lacking most of the requisite science courses, he returned to Knoxville, where he finished his premed requirements. Then he was admitted to UT Medical School in Memphis, where he received his MD degree.

For over forty years, Fritz practiced medicine, specializing in emergency room medicine for the Methodist Healthcare System for twenty years, and later opening Medworks, his own occupational medicine practice. He was a long term member of the AMA. A colleague recently remarked that Fritz was "a hell of a good doctor and a former MUS classmate said Fritz had "saved his life," after a misdiagnosis elsewhere.

Fritz's interests included travelling, classical music, opera, the visual arts, ballet, swimming, flying planes, boating, and gardening. His love of saltwater took him often to the Gulf Coast, where he swam, boated, and walked on the beach. The centerpiece of his life was always reading. Acquaintances could count on him to answer their questions and to amaze them with anecdotes about arcane topics from architecture to zoology. Friends left his company enlightened by his encyclopedic knowledge, his wit and his kindness.

Fritz is survived by his daughter Mary Byrd Schas (and her husband, Peter E. Chaskes) and his daughter Meriwether Klyce Schas (and her husband, Robert D. Marko). He leaves three sisters: Dodi Jehl, Gwyn Guess, and Gretchen Winbigler and her husband, Houston Winbigler. He also leaves four grandchildren - Ida and Julius Chaskes and Walter and Polly Marko. He was predeceased by his father, Fritz Schas, Sr. and his mother, Mary Schas.

There will be a memorial Service for Fritz on Feb. 15, at 2:00 PM at First Congregational Church, 1000 So Cooper.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be sent to the Church Health Center or the charity of your choice.