Simple Life Fretz: A Kitchen Table Memoir of the first Mennonite Sociologist

His daughter has captured the engaging life story of J. Winfield Fretz, the first Mennonite sociologist, told in his personable voice from childhood days on a Pennsylvania farm through years as a student, professor, researcher, author, and founding president of Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. The narrative voice ends with her conversations with him reflecting on simple matters of the heart. The author has drawn from over 300 letters between her father and his older brother, recorded interviews, letters of her mother's, and personal conversations with her father. Excerpts from others on their interactions with this wonderfully spirited man are included....

Sara Fretz-Goering, daughter of J. Winfield Fretz, gathered remaining transcripts, letters, and photos after her father's death in 2005 to write a life story for the extended family. Soon other people expressed keen interest in reading the book and the work expanded beyond personal family stories to include her father's academic research, involvement in the larger Mennonite church, and his career trajectory. He was well-known for his humorous anecdotes, his indefatigable interest in life, and his optimistic belief in the goodness of others.
The author resides outside of Washington DC with her husband Peter and their golden retriever Bogey. She volunteers as a hospice respite caregiver and sometimes takes Bogey along on visits in his proud role as trained therapy dog. She taught English in middle schools for twenty-eight years which allowed her to be actively engaged with literature and writing on a daily basis. This is her first published book....