Obituary of Ernest Fry

Ernest L. Fry September 2, 1915 February 2, 2008 Ernest L. "Buck" Fry, 92, of Dowagiac, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning surrounded by his family, following an illness. Ernest was born on September 2, 1915 in Monterey, Indiana to the late Clarence and Inez (Kerschner) Fry. In Monterey, young Ernest lettered in Varsity basketball and, in the eleventh grade, he helped to build a new high school he never got to attend due to a fire set during a senior opening celebration dance that partially destroyed the school. A young Mr. Fry stepped off the train in Dowagiac, Michigan in the mid-thirties and was employed by Bee Bee Farms for a number of years. There he met the young woman of his dreams and on February 3, 1943, Ernest married Mary Jane Black. Ernest (by now well known as "Buck") worked for Rudy's/Sunstrand for over twenty-four (24) years before a medical disability forced him into early retirement in 1971. Buck remained in his beloved home in Dowagiac. He was very active within and immensely enjoyed his life with his family, friends, as well as the many people he saw on his daily walks about town. Over the years, as Buck's vision continued to worsen, his children were all amazed by the number of people who seemed to know him, and the number of voices he could recognize. Besides his parents, and Mary Jane who died on May 7, 2005, Ernest is preceded in death by a brother Robert Fry; a sister, Lucille Fry and three grandsons. He is survived by three sons; Ernest Fry Jr. of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Raymond (Sherida) Fry of Union, Michigan and Richard Fry of Dowagiac, three daughters; Mary (John) Hamilton of Dowagiac, Marlene Johnson (Jim Stanek) of Dowagiac, Betty "BJ" (Richmond) Harman of Stuart, Florida, twenty grandchildren, twenty-five great-grandchildren, six great-great grandchildren and a nephew Robert Fry of Oklahoma. In keeping with Ernest wishes, cremation has taken place. A time of visitation will be held at Mission Hills Memorial Chapel 61453 M-51 in Niles on Tuesday evening from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday February 6, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. at Mission Hills Memorial Chapel. An interment will follow at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens. Immediately following the service, there will be a luncheon at the Moose Club in Dowagiac. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Niles and Mission Hills Memorial Chapel.