Obituaries published Dec. 1, 2019

September 16, 1920 - November 18, 2019

Eldred Dalton "Ed" Frye was born Sept. 16, 1920, in Winchester, Va., to Alva Crowell Frye and Myrtle Barr Frye. He graduated from John Handley High School and worked for the Winchester Star newspaper before enlisting in the Twentieth Army Air Corps in 1944.

He completed electronics training at Virginia Tech, and was stationed stateside before he deployed to Guam, where he repaired radios on B-29 bombers. After the war, he returned to Winchester, and married Rhoda May "Peg" Fletcher on June 7, 1947. They were blessed with two sons, Gerald and Jack.

Ed joined the Chesapeake & Potomac (C&P) Telephone Co. (now Verizon) in Winchester in 1947. The family moved to South Orange, N.J., in 1956, while Ed was on a special assignment in New York City. In 1957, he transferred to Richmond, Va., where he and Peg raised their family and lived for over 30 years. They were active at Hatcher Memorial Baptist Church, where Ed sang in the choir. He often took the family camping along the Shenandoah River, where he taught his sons to fish.

He taught evening classes in basic electronics at Richmond Technical Center, and loved tinkering with gadgets and repairing radios and TVs. A true handyman, Ed was skilled in bricklaying, carpentry, electrical work and plumbing – skills put to work by family and friends. He enjoyed researching Frye family history at the Virginia state archives, where he learned that his ancestor Heinrich Frey/Frei/Frye immigrated to Pennsylvania from Alsace, Germany, in 1685.

Upon retiring in 1985 after 38 years with C&P Telephone Co., Ed and Peg became snowbirds – spending summers in Virginia and winters near Fort Myers. They moved to Estero, Fla., in 1990, where they enjoyed playing tennis, bike riding and swimming. Ed was an avid reader of history and nonfiction, and loved visiting the library – in Florida and later, in Bryan. He also enjoyed playing pool and teaching his grandchildren the finer points of the game.

Ed and Peg loved to visit the Florida beaches in Bonita Springs and Sanibel. They also traveled across much of the United States and Canada, as well as Mexico and Europe. A highlight for Ed was a cruise through the Panama Canal.

In 2008, Ed and Peg moved to Carriage Inn in Bryan, Texas, to be near their son, Gerald, and continued riding their bikes, much to the amazement of the staff and other residents. Ed began studying Texas history and visiting local historical sites in his adopted state. He was proud to have his name engraved on the wall of honor at Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial.

Ed and Peg moved to Arbor Oaks at Crestview in 2013. They enjoyed making many new friends, competing in Scrabble games, and playing pool, Rummikub, Yahtzee or Dominoes with family. Ed was a lifelong learner, always interested in history and current events. He enjoyed sharing stories about significant events he had witnessed in his 99 years.

Ed was preceded in death by wife of 72 years, Rhoda May "Peg" Fletcher Frye, in July 2019, as well as his parents, brother Delmar Frye, and sister Vada Frye Lee. He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Gerald and Janet Frye of College Station and Jack and Mary Frye of Richmond, Va. He leaves behind beloved grandchildren, Erica Frye and Jack Frye Jr. of Richmond, Va.; Justin Frye and wife Jo Anne Frye of Campbell, Calif.; and Jeremy Frye and wife Bethany Brunell Frye of Austin, TX. He is also survived by six great-grandchildren: Maddison McCarthy, Cyrus Bache, Chloe Bache, Cameron Williams, Talan Frye and Jasper Frye.

In lieu of flowers, please send any remembrances to Hospice Brazos Valley, Crestview Methodist Retirement Center Foundation or the charity of your choice.