Fred L. Rottnek, of St. Louis, Missouri, died on November 12, 2026, at age 92.
Fred (aka, Fritz) was the beloved husband of the late Marie Theresa Rottnek (née Ward) and father of Rochelle (Rudy), Fred, and Matthew, grandfather of John (Denise) and Ann (Kevin), brother of Richard, uncle to Jeanne Marie (Quinton), and grandfather and great grandfather to many more.
Born in St. Louis to Fred and Hilda, he attended Bayless schools and served two years building structures, including a Catholic church, in Korea during his army service. Fred never met a piece of wood he didn’t like. From cabinet maker to contractor to small business owner to carpenter, Fred was happiest when using old-school woodworking tools to build creations he dreamed up the night before. He built his family homes over the years and never tired of playing show and tell with his wood creations. “Feel the weight of this” was a favorite phrase as he invited someone to pick up one of his woodworks.
Fred and Marie shared a life that family and friends affectionately knew as the “Fred and Marie Show.” His family will remember him for his love of travel, his carpentry contributions to his parishes and his children’s schools, dressing up in holiday costumes, and his relentless teasing of those closest to him.
The family wishes to thank all his health care providers, particularly Melissa Murray, MD, and the care teams at Delmar Gardens South and Parc Provence for the extraordinary care he has received.
Visitation will be held at Kutis South County Chapel on November 24, 2026 at 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM, followed immediately by a brief memorial service at Kutis. Then there will be a procession to Jefferson Barracks Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Saint Louis University Medical Legal Partnerships Support Fund (in the School of Law) or Catholic Charities.