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08/14/2024

Memorial Wall for Charlie Fritts

The legacy left behind by longtime volunteer and board member Charlie Fritts is one of integrity, kindness, and support. It is incredible to see the number of stories of his kind nature and impact on our industry flooding in via social media in just one day.

We would love to gather these memories in one space to honor Charlie's memory, his hard work in self storage, his dedication to his volunteer work, and his many, many friendships spanning a beautiful lifetime. Please share yours with us in a comment below.

"The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively" -Bob Marley

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5 Comments

Courtney Kahler   on Wednesday 08/14/2024 at 02:12 PM

I've known Charlie for almost 10 years and have never heard him utter a mean word. He was supportive, understanding, and loyal beyond measure. Every time I relayed a story or a conversation I had with him to someone else, I always finished it with "I love Charlie." Even my family and friends outside of storage who have never met him know exactly who he is because of how prominent and wonderful he was.

I'm not surprised in the slightest to hear all of the comments and stories about how Charlie helped others, how he took them under his wing, or how he gave them advice... that's who he was. Every time I needed a volunteer to help a member, Charlie offered. Every new face walking into an event for the first time immediately met Charlie because he wanted to make them feel welcome and part of the family. He was such a fixture in not just our association and our industry, but in our personal lives. Our events and board meetings will never be the same without him. I'm going to miss him immensely.

Neftali Aponte    on Wednesday 08/14/2024 at 03:29 PM

Few people can claim the privilege of having met or known a man like Charlie during their lifetime. Even fewer had the chance to work closely with him. The world has lost an extraordinary individual – a man of integrity, determination, leadership, generosity, and much more. For me, the loss is personal. I didn’t just lose my ‘jefe,’ as I called him; I lost a best friend, a second father, and a mentor. Charlie leaves behind a strong legacy that we at SIMI will strive to uphold every single day. I won’t let my friend down. My heart is broken.

Jen Conlon   on Wednesday 08/14/2024 at 04:02 PM

I am deeply heartbroken by Charlie’s passing. For the past 20 years, I had the privilege of working closely with Charlie. He wasn’t just a colleague; he was a valued mentor, a dear friend, and family in every sense of the word.

Charlie's kindness, leadership, and guidance have left a lasting impact on me and so many others. He played a significant role in shaping my career, and for that, I will always be grateful.

This loss is not only professional, but immensely personal. Charlie, you will be profoundly missed, but your legacy of excellence and integrity will continue to live on through all of us who had the honor of knowing you.

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams

Mike Gong   on Wednesday 08/14/2024 at 04:47 PM

Many stories and memories will be shared about Charlie because most people had great moments to share, smile, laugh and maybe share a meal or drink with him. Charlie’s voice and laugh are one of his most unique traits and you always knew when he was talking because you would be listening. He had great advice to give, thoughtful comments and never made anyone feel like they were below him. Charlie was the straightest shooter that you would ever know and was truly a working class leader. But more than just the memories we had in our business relationship were some moments we shared talking about family life and how much he loved spending time with his wife, children and grandchildren. I will miss Charlie and our conversations. Hopefully anyone that ever met Charlie was lucky enough to have a conversation with him too. You would always remember it. Rest easy Charlie. Your legacy will live on!

Erica Shatzer   on Wednesday 08/14/2024 at 09:39 PM

Charlie was a longtime member of the former advisory board for Self-Storage Now, MSM's quarterly magazine. As the editor, he was someone I could always count on for insights about self-storage management and marketing. Over the past 15+ years, I interviewed him for various articles and always loved our chats. He always made time to talk with me and he'd be prepared with a valuable angle that I may not have considered. Beyond storage, it was clear that he was family man at heart. I loved hearing him talk with fondness about his grandkids and always appreciated his words of encouragement about parenthood. I will miss Charlie!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the comments shown above are those of the individual comment authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of this organization.