'American Pickers' Star Frank Fritz Hasn't Been Laid to Rest

Almost a year to the date that American Pickers star Frank Fritz passed away, the man behind several legendary finds and who captivated millions with his engaging personality still hasn't been laid to rest.

The shocking development was discovered by The Des Moines Register in a riveting deep-dive by Courtney Crowder, who caught up with Annette Oberlander Willows, a close friend of Fritz, who confirmed his death on September 30th, 2024. An ensuing legal battle over his will involving Fritz' birth father, Bill, is the hold-up, and it's been a long, sad year for those who knew the man away from the TV cameras.

Inside the Legal Battle Behind Frank Fritz's Will:

Willows was with Fritz when his Crohn's disease worsened, and though him and his mother have been cremated, they have yet to be buried while his will is being contested in court by Bill Fritz, per The Des Moines Register.

In February 2025, Bill Fritz, who resides in Texas, filed a petition to set aside his son's late testament and have a jury decide what would be done with his estate. The subsequent probate case has been sealed by an Iowa judge. Fritz's assets (which are estimated at nearly $6 million) haven't been made public, per The Des Moines Register.

With a trial set for November 2026, a resolve for this will not come until at least two years after Fritz's death. It's created a huge burden on those closest to Fritz, namely Willows, who says her grief-process has been prolonged because of this.

The Two Warring Factors in Fritz's Will:

The Des Moines Register cleanly outlined the two concerns regarding Fritz's will that have prompted this legal battle:

Who was closest to Fritz to best understand how he wanted his end-of-life proceedings to be carried out: his father or his best friend(s)?
Was Fritz in "sufficient command of his faculties" to understand and sign a will following his 2022 stroke?

After Fritz's stroke in 2022, he was placed into guardianship by the court. He was reportedly "unable to make, communicate or carry out important decisions concerning his own financial affairs."

**Frank Fritz's Health Declined to the Point He Had to Leave American Pickers:**

The long-running History Channel series American Pickers was predicated on the amiable chemistry and disposition of its hosts, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, who traversed the backroads of America in search of treasures that existed in family homes and farms. The show premiered in 2010, and is presently in hiatus.

It was a back injury that forced Fritz to exit the show in late 2019. He would not return following a stroke in 2022, and of course, his death at 60-years-old in 2024.

In May 2025, Frank Fritz Man Cave opened inside Frank Fritz Finds in Savanna, IL as a way to honor the late star and friend to many. That said, resolve in the realm of Fritz's will and end-of-life proceedings are proving to still be a long way off for those closest to him.

Read more about the unresolved nature of Frank Fritz's will on The Des Moines Register's website.