After nearly 81 years of a very well lived life, David J. Fritsch, Jr. of Vernon and the world, left his earthly loves behind on March 10, 2015. Born in West Hartford, Dave was the second child of David, Sr. and Helen Fritsch. With his siblings Beverly Connelly, James Fritsch (Ingelore), and Mary Rose Crawford (William), Dave spent his childhood summers at Highland Lake in Winsted, CT. He graduated Hall High School in 1952 and then joined the Army where he was stationed in both Japan and Korea. Upon his return Dave earned a degree in Computer Science from the Ward Technical Institute. During Dave's 20+ year tenure with the Travelers Insurance Company, he worked in the Data Processing Department. He and his wife of 52 years, Joanne (Jamie) raised three children, Susan Vollenweider (Brian), David III (Tracy), and Stephen (Sharon) in Ashford and Manchester. After retiring from the Travelers, Dave assisted Jamie in establishing and overseeing the operations of The Costume Shop in Manchester for 25 years where they successfully merged marriage and business by working together. Dave was an accomplished carpenter, a sports car enthusiast, a devout sailor and licensed Sea Captain who crossed both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. His family cruised the New England waters in a succession of ever larger sailboats: Antithesis, Spirit, Grass Hill, and Kvack. Dave captained Kvack as the Official Connecticut Representative in the America 500, which retraced Christopher Columbus' historic sailing voyage from Spain to the new world. Upon retirement from The Costume Shop, Dave and Jamie commissioned the building of their final boat, Kwakatu and sailed the world for several years. His love of sailing was so strong that his grandchildren, Sean and Emily Fritsch, Rebekah, Luke and Noah Vollenweider called him Skipper Dave. It is with a heavy heart and beautiful memories that his friends, family, cousins, nieces, nephews, and life-long friend George Zurles say good-bye. A funeral service will be held at the John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center St., Manchester, on Saturday March 14th at 11:00 a.m. Family and friends may call at the funeral home prior from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Memorial donations may be made in David's name to the Smilow Cancer Hospital, Closer to Free Fund, P.O. Box 7611, New Haven, CT 06519-0611 or Visiting Nurse & Health Services of Connecticut, Hospice Program, 8 Keynote Dr., Vernon, CT 06066. For online condolences please visit www.tierneyfuneralhome.com.