Donald Fred Critz

Donald Fred Critz, 84, of Prairie Home, MO, died Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at his home after a brief illness.

Memorial services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 3, 2024, at Prairie Home United Methodist Church with Pastor Don Almond officiating.  Inurnment will follow in Pisgah Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the church.  Memorials are suggested to Endless Options, Inc. in care of Howard Funeral Home and an online guestbook is available at www.howardfh.com

Born October 3, 1939 in Boonville, the son of the late LaVern and Phyllis Hayden Critz and the beloved baby brother of Jerry and Sue Critz. He grew up in Pisgah and went to school in Prairie Home until his freshman year when his family moved away from the area. He graduated from Nevada High School in 1957 but was a lifelong Prairie Home Panther fan. He was a United States Navy veteran and a member of the American Legion.

Don worked as an optician for thirty plus years, managing and later owning his own optical dispensaries. Upon retirement, he moved back to Prairie Home, where he loved to drive his grandkids around town in his convertible and taking them for Fair Burgers. Don had a great sense of humor and loved to tell stories and make people laugh. He loved Elvis, history, reading biographies, old cars, the Chiefs, and his family.

On February 13, 1971, he married Nancy Louise Miller Shuck who survives of the home. With this union, Don became a Miller “Outlaw” and obtained numerous sisters and brothers-in-laws, nieces, and nephews. He loved them all. During their fifty-three years of marriage, they lived in several different states. While living in Lincoln, NE, they built lifelong friendships that they deeply treasured. They loved spending time camping, boating, and water skiing at Bluestem Lake and after moving to Missouri, at the Lake of the Ozarks.

In addition to his wife, Nancy; he is survived by seven children: Timothy Critz (Tonya) of Minot, ND, Deena Fuller (Sam) of Grand Island, NE, Jana Covert (Tim) of Inman, KS, Kellie Shuck (David) of Prairie Home, Bill Shuck of Gravois Mills, Tracy Prenosil (Greg) of Lincoln, NE, and Heather Critz Crews of Prairie Home; eighteen grandchildren: Amber, Nicole, Wesley, Morganne, Andrew, Chris, Alex, Alyssa, Emily, Jason, Jeff, Sasha, Taylor, Tiffany, Riley, Lily, Kaelyn, and Kate; and by eighteen great-grandchildren: Ranalle, Rowan, Reece, Zoe, Lucy, Harrison, Aria, Devan, Skylar, Clairice, Kaden, Jaxon, Maci, Noah, Navaeh, Cooper, Chloe, and Karson, with three more on the way! He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

In addition to his parents and siblings, he was preceded in death by his grandson Michael and his nephew Karl.  

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