who co-hosted the History Channel’s antiquing show “American Pickers,” has died at the age of 60.
His passing was announced by his co-host and longtime friend Mike Wolfe on Instagram and Facebook.
“It’s with a broken heart that I share with all of you that Frank passed away last night. I’ve known Frank for more than half my life and what you’ve seen on TV has always been what I have seen, a dreamer who was just as sensitive as he was funny. The same off camera as he was on, Frank had a way of reaching the hearts of so many by just being himself,” he wrote.
Fritz, who worked on the program with Wolfe for more than 10 years, had been dealing with health issues in 2020 and then had a stroke in 2022.
The two combed the country searching for hidden gems to refinish and resell in their own shops or retain as personal keepsakes. “American Pickers” became an unlikely hit, one the two hosts couldn’t foresee.
“Who would have ever dreamed we would share the cockpit of a white cargo van in front of millions of people interested in our adventures,” Wolfe wrote. “Before the show we would take off together to places we never knew existed with no destination in mind and just the shared passion to discover something interesting and historic.”
In tribute to the late Fritz, Realtor.com® uncovered some information about his Iowa homestead.
Located in Le Claire, IA—hard on the banks of the Mississippi River and an hour and 20 minutes east of Cedar Rapids—Fritz’s home has two bedrooms and one bath.
The dwelling is historic in nature, put up in 1935, spans 1,660 square feet inside, and sits on three quarters of an acre. The modest Iowa farmhouse last changed hands in 2010 for $130,000. But today it’s worth much more—triple, in fact—$392,727.
The home has a basement and comes with a garage, shed, and barn.
And right next door, Fritz also owned a parcel sized at 3,240 square feet that carries R1 zoning, which means it’s designated for a single-family home.
