Patrick "Fred" Alvin Tetzlaff, 75, of Sylvania, Ohio, passed away peacefully, on May 1, 2026, surrounded by many of his closest family members.

Fred was born on February 21, 1951, in Coleman, Wisconsin, to Clinton Tetzlaff and Bernetta (LaRose) Tetzlaff. He graduated from Greenfield High School and began his career with the Milwaukee Railroad as a Journeyman Machinist. Over the years, he also managed sporting goods stores, worked in heavy equipment sales and customer service, where his mechanical knowledge and gift for solving problems served him well.

He is survived by Christine "Chris" (Ortmann) Tetzlaff, his wife of 53 years, despite early predictions from some that the marriage "would never last." Together they built a life filled with laughter, resilience, and unwavering devotion to family. He is also survived by his son, Patrick (Erin Fleming) Tetzlaff; daughter, Tracy (Dave) Payne; and five beloved grandchildren, Olivia, Joshua, Mariah, Allison, and Brittany; sisters, Diana Powell and Sharon Eisner. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Janice (Tetzlaff) Kehoe.

Fred was ingenious, creative, determined, and always willing to lend a hand. He could fix nearly anything, often with nothing more than a roll of duct tape, a few zip ties, and whatever household object happened to be nearby. If there was a problem, Fred would sketch a design, gather his tools, and somehow engineer a solution. His talents extended to woodworking, baking, gardening, classic cars, and just about any hands-on project imaginable.

Among his favorite hobbies was fishing, especially his trips into Canada where he enjoyed some of the best walleye fishing in North America. He loved classic cars, particularly his treasured 1973 Hurst Oldsmobile, and he was known for his unforgettable sense of humor - whether that meant staging fishing photos with Barbie dolls or proudly wearing the loudest, most obnoxious ties to work he could find.

Fred also loved bringing people together. His Super Bowl parties became legendary, with televisions rigged into nearly every room of the house - including the bathroom - so no one would miss a play. After moving to Ohio in 2018 to be closer to his younger grandchildren, he quickly became friends with neighbors and welcomed everyone to Sunday football gatherings in his garage. Though working on cars became more difficult over time, he turned his energy toward gardening and continued to care for those around him.

A devoted servant to others, Fred volunteered with the CARES team and later served in the café ministry at Westgate Chapel in Toledo, where he was a faithful member. Although baptized as an infant in the Catholic Church, his faith deepened significantly during his years at Westgate as his personal relationship with Jesus grew stronger. During a sermon series on Galatians, Fred made the decision to publicly share his faith journey through baptism. On May 4, 2025, he was baptized by two of his favorite pastors, Randy Fall and Rob Zimmermann. In his final year, Fred eagerly attended Bible studies whenever possible and especially cherished studying the Psalms through video messages with his daughter-in-law Erin.

Fred spent much of his life in Wisconsin, living in Two Rivers, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Phillips, Greenfield, and Kewaskum before eventually settling in Ohio near family. No matter where he lived, he built community quickly and left people feeling welcomed, cared for, and entertained.

A gathering will be held at Westgate Chapel, 2500 Wilford Drive, Toledo, OH 43615 on Friday, May 22, 2026, from 10:00 am until the time of his Celebration of Life at 11:00 am. Additionally, a second gathering will be held at Grace Church, 3626 Hwy 31, Racine, WI 53405, on Saturday, June 6, 2026 from 10:00 am until the time of his Celebration of Life at 11:00 am.