Charles Frederick Weisend

DALLAS—Charles Frederick Weisend, known to all in the industry as “Fritz,” passed away peacefully while asleep at home on July 31 after a battle with cancer. He was 83.

Born March 14, 1926 in Bellaire, Ohio, Weisend served his country during World War II in the Army Air Corp., finishing his service in the Panama Canal. He started Fritz Chemical Co. in Mesquite, Tex., in 1956 and incorporated in 1959. Since 1993, the company has been more familiarly known as Fritz Industries.

In 1962, Weisend introduced his first flooring product, Fritztile, an innovative terrazzo tile of epoxy resin binder and genuine marble aggregates. The product evolved into a modified polyester resin binder and became the first flexible terrazzo tile measuring only 1/8-inch in thickness.

In 1993, Weisend introduced the first commercial floor patch and self-leveling underlayments made of fly ash. He was an innovator, entrepreneur and visionary not only in the flooring industry but the other divisions of the company, noted John Blanton, national sales manager, Fritz Industries.

From August 1974 through September 1976, Weisend served as president of the board for the Dallas Society for Crippled Children (an affiliate local agency of the National Easter Seals Society for Crippled Children and Adults). He was also a huge Dallas Cowboys fan.

“Fritz will be genuinely missed by his loved ones, friends, and many generations of employees,” said Blanton. “He wasn’t just responsible for giving us a place to work; he was responsible for providing miracles and a family atmosphere that made it an honor to come to work each and every day.

“Fritz was a wonderful man with a heart of gold,” he added. “He had as much respect for the people in the plant as in the office. Fritz made sure all had the best in employee benefits. He was a true gentleman and customers loved and respected him to the utmost.”

Blanton also commented on Weisend’s contributions to the flooring business. “Fritztile was a very important innovation for the industry. Fritz was always trying to develop a product to improve the industry.” Weisend is survived by his wife, Julie; daughters, Patricia Bergman and Melissa Weisend; sons, Mike and Kerry, and five grandchildren.

Weisend’s family asks that contributions be made in his name to the Dallas Society of Crippled Children; Easter Seals North Texas 1424 Hemphill Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76104.