Celebrating Murray Fretz

A lifetime devoted to livestock journalism.

CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF PAST OCA MAGAZINE CONTRIBUTOR MURRAY FRETZ

MURRAY GORDON FRETZ - April 17, 1931 to April 15, 2020

Murray G. Fretz passed on April 15, 2020, at the age of 88. He had a remarkable journey and long career in the livestock industry spanning over seven decades.

Murray was the oldest of nine children raised on a vegetable/ fruit and small cattle farm in Ontario, Canada. He and his family were practicing Mennonites. He showed Angus cattle at livestock shows during his youth.

At a young age, Murray was always driving his dad’s Ford 8N tractor, tilling the fields. When he turned sixteen the neighbor let him borrow his three-ton truck to take his driver’s license and obtain a commercial driving permit. That way Murray could help the neighbor haul his produce to markets.

By the time he was seventeen years old, Murray was driving a 27-foot semi to show his neighbor’s Angus cattle at livestock events. In 1949, Murray was offered a herd manager position at King Haven Farms-- a 150 head Angus herd owned by a prominent Ontario family. He worked there for three years and helped his father by hauling produce throughout Canada and the U.S. At the young age of 24, Murray purchased a 150-acre farm for $35,000 outside Guelph, Ontario, Canada and married his future wife Shirley. In 1958, Murray began his journalistic career with livestock organizations when he was hired as the Secretary Manager for the Ontario Angus Association and published a monthly newsletter. During this time, Murray and Shirley became parents to three children, David, Nancy, and Grant. In 1964, he was hired to work as General Manager of the Canadian Angus Association and the publisher of their magazine. He obtained his pilot license which made it possible to meet in person with his nine salesmen scattered across the country.

The next step in his career was in the spring of 1968, when Murray was hired as the general manager of the Aberdeen Angus Journal, a privately held publication based in Webster City, Iowa. He moved his family to Iowa in June of that year. Murray along with a New York business partner owned a 3,000-acre angus ranch called Seven Springs Angus near the Ozarks in Missouri and another Angus ranch in northern California. The two also owned Transcontinental Land and Cattle that transported herds across the country for cattle ranchers. In 1975, Murray purchased the controlling interest in the Aberdeen Angus Journal when he became the sole owner and publisher. Murray purchased his own airplane so he could fly himself around the US and Canada to personally meet with his field men for the magazine. His son David and daughter Nancy also worked for the magazine during their high school years. In 1979, Murray sold his www.orcattle.com | Oregon Cattleman

A lifetime devoted to livestock journalism.

interest in the Aberdeen Angus Journal to the American Angus Association in St. Joseph, Missouri when they took over publishing the magazine.

From 1979 to 1981, Murray was a consultant for the Red Angus Journal in Denton, Texas and made several trips to Texas during this time. His oldest son David was working for the magazine and living in Denton. In 1981, Murray and his family moved to Portland, Oregon when Western States Angus Association hired him as general manager and publisher for their monthly journal, the Western States Angus News. This was a family business along with his wife Shirley and son David. Murray also oversaw the Western Angus Futurity event in Reno before his resignation in 1985.

During the 1980s, Murray and Shirley formed Agri-Management Services producing breed directories for many of the major purebred breed associations. They also managed cattle sales from publishing the sale catalogs, advertising for the event, managing the sale, and the transfer of ownerships. The 1980s and 90s was a busy time as Murray was also the Executive Manager of the Pacific International Livestock Show in Portland Oregon from 1985 – 2005. His wife Shirley and family assisted him in all aspects of the show each year. A couple years into this tenure, Murray sold the Portland Exposition building to Multnomah County and leased it back for his P.I. show each October.

During the 1990s into early 2000s, Oregon’s governor appointed Murray to serve 7 years on the Oregon State Fair executive board representing the agriculture industry. He was instrumental in saving the exhibition barns on the grounds that were built over a hundred years earlier and had them remodeled and updated rather than torn down. They are still heavily used for state and county fair events to this day.

The Oregon Cattlemen’s Association came calling in 1985 asking Murray to take over their Oregon Beef Producers magazine which he continued until his retirement in 2015. Since 1996, work on the magazine was from his home office in Mosier, Oregon. Murray continued on as a consultant each month just prior to going to press until his passing in April.

Murray Fretz knew all of the major leaders raising Angus cattle over the years. “I was on a first name basis with JC Penny and Armand Hammer, as they both owned and operated Angus cattle ranches,” said Fretz.

The last twenty-four years, Murray was residing in Mosier with a beautiful view overlooking the Columbia River. Murray Fretz was a man of strong faith, strong character and a strong work ethic. He was a great pleasure for all to work with over the years and was presented with numerous awards spanning the seven decades.

Murray was preceded in death by his wife Shirley in 1994, his oldest son David in 2014, and his second wife Beverly in 2019. He is survived by his daughter Nancy Hinderks, son Grant Fretz, grandson Jay Hinderks (wife Jami), great grandchildren Carter, Madelynn, and Mason Hinderks. All are residents of Oregon. •