Fritz Rydberg and King salmon.
Original Photo
The original photo used as reference for the mural was photographed by an unknown photographer in December of circa 1940.
Fritz Emil Rydberg was born February 20, 1893 in Anacortes, Washington. He was the eldest of ten children born to Anna Carlson and Peter Rydberg. His parents were one of the pioneers of Anacortes and spent his childhood there.
For most of his adult life he worked for the U.S. Engineers Department. In 1912, he started work as a cook on the snagboat SKAGIT, which was the first of three snagboats made for the Army Corp of Engineers in Seattle. He later worked on the SWINOMISH and then the W.T. PRESTON before he retired in 1952. During that time, he received many awards, including the Exceptional Civilian Service award in 1951.
After he retired, he moved into the large family home that had been turned into apartments, with his brother and sister-in-law living next door. Fritz married Murrell (Mason) Triber in 1936. She had been widowed and had three boys from that marriage. At one point, Fritz hired one of the boys to work on the W.T. PRESTON. They later divorced sometime in the 1940s.
Fritz passed away on June 25, 1969 in Anacortes, Washington and is interred at Grand View Cemetery in Anacortes, Washington.
