Editor's note: This article has been updated with comments from Amy Fritz.

John Richard Fritz, who died Thursday night in a car crash in Ann Arbor, was a “gentle soul” who touched the lives of many, a longtime friend said Monday.

"He was an accountant, but more than just being an accountant he was a truly wonderful, gentle soul,” said Peter Stone of Ann Arbor. “He touched the lives of hundreds and hundreds of people.”

Stone said it was a testament to Fritz’s personality that he and his former wife remained great friends after their divorce. “He just loved people, and everybody felt comfortable in his presence,” Stone said.

Fritz, 66, died Thursday night when a car driven by a 48-year-old man who suffered a medical condition ran a red light and struck the car Fritz was driving. Police have not released the nature of the condition or the identity of the driver. The accident occurred at the intersection of Dexter Ann Arbor and Maple roads.

Amy Fritz said her father and his wife, Mo, had eaten dinner at Zingerman's Roadhouse not far away, and her father was on his way home when the accident occurred. Mo Fritz rode home with a friend who was visiting from out of town. After her her husband didn't return home for more than two hours, she retraced the path back to the restaurant and came upon the accident.

Amy Fritz, who now lives in San Francisco, said her father was a self-made man. He grew up on a farm in the Chelsea area and became the first in his family to go to college. He graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a degree in business administration.

In Ann Arbor he founded and ran a successful accounting and financial advisory practice that served the medical and business communities in Ann Arbor, according to an obituary.

Amy Fritz said her dad loved Ann Arbor, making sure to take advantage of all it had to offer, attending Top of the Park, the art fairs and many other events. With his wife, he also led sessions for the Human Awareness Institute, an organization that offers workshops on love, intimacy and sexuality.

Fritz had adopted a healthy lifestyle that included hiking, biking and power yoga, his daughter said. "We're all heartbroken and shocked. He was 66 and so young and vital."

Besides his wife and daughter, Fritz is survived by a brother, Dean Fritz; another daughter, Heather Prochaska; four grandchildren, and his former wife, Patty Suchochi. His sister, Elaine Fritz Owings, preceded him in death.

Visitation will be held Thursday at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, 901 N. Main St., Chelsea, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Private graveside services will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Food Gatherers or the Human Awareness Institute Midwest.