NEWARK — A funeral service for Ralph Dalton Fry, 89, of Newark will be held Friday at 11 a.m. at Southgate Church of Christ, 1075 S. 30th St., Heath, with Elder Wayne Cass presiding. Interment will follow in Zanesville Memorial Park where military honors will be rendered. Mr. Fry passed away Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009, on his birthday, at the Selma Markowitz Care Center.
He was born Dec. 15, 1920, in Coshocton County, to the late Francis Marion and Ella Leora (Booth) Fry. Having spent many years in the Mount Vernon area, Ralph came to Newark in 1960. He was a carpenter by trade and was a superintendent of commercial construction for the W.J. Camlin Co. Many sites in Newark are results of his skills including additions to LMH.
Ralph was a World War II veteran; a member of the 509th Composite Group that dropped the Atomic Bomb that led to the end of the war. He was a member of carpenters Local 200, the VFW, and Southgate Church of Christ. He loved woodworking, mechanics, enjoyed several years of wintering in Vero Beach, Fla. He loved reminiscing about the early years spent in Mohawk Village, where he was raised.
He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Janet (Williams) Fry of the home; children, Carol Ann Raymond, Tanya Fry, Jon Fry, Patrick Fry, Peggy Bennett; stepchildren, Beth Shivley, Bill Payne, Roger Payne, Tom Payne; sisters, Twila Hoover and Bernice Rank; many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and a multitude of friends.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by son, Duane Fry; stepson, Joel Payne; grandson, Brian Joseph; stepgrandson, Joel; brothers, Carlos, George and Robert Fry; sister, Pauline Van Sickle.
The family will receive friends Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Brucker & Kishler Funeral Home, 985 N. 21st St., Newark.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Hospice of Central Ohio, P.O. Box 430, Newark, OH 43058-0430.
To sign an online guestbook, please visit www.brucker-kishlerfuneralhome.com and click obituaries/view full details/ add memorial guestbook entry.
