Fry - George M.
Source: Indianapolis NewWednesday 28 April 1954 p 17
George M. Fry, who died at 86 yesterday in his home, 5125 N Michigan Rd refuted the theory held by many today that advancing years call for a slow-down. In all his life, he had never slowed down. Alertness, activity and interest in life dominated him always. Born at Crawfordsville, Mr. Fry was a member of a family which came to this country from Wales in the late 1700s. His family settled in Virginia then by way of Kentucky came to Indiana. His grandfather was one of the first settlers at Crawfordsville and built one of the first cabins there. His father, William Fry served as a doctor during the Civil War under Gen. Lew Wallace and the son often visited the general when he was writing his famous, “Ben Hur.” Members of the Fry family took one of the first federal land grants around Crawfordsville. Mr. Fray had in his possession a reprint of the Record, the first newspaper ever printed in Crawfordsville in 1831. As a young man, Mr. Fry worked in the old casket factory at Crawfordsville. When the Spanish-American War broke out, he entered the service and served as an infantryman at Chattanooga, Tenn. Here he met and talked with Theodore Roosevelt. Mr. Fry was always fond of camping. When he worked at the casket factory, he camped about 5 miles from Crawfordsville and walked to and from work, making the five miles in about 50 minutes. For a time Mr. Fry traveled all over the country, including the Dakotas during the Indian days for a grain company. Then he became Midwest sales representative for the Acme-Evans Co of Indianapolis, living at Crawfordsville. For a time Mr. Fry lived at Terre Haute and then McCordsville, coming to Indianapolis about 12 years ago. During WWII he was a civil service employee at Ft. Harrison where he received a citation for work among servicemen there. Principally he worked at the reception centers and the library where he often helped boys who could not read with their letters from home. All his life, Mr. Fry had maintained a military bearing and with his VanDyke beard, he was often called “Colonel.” Mr. Fray was a member of the Spanish-American War Veterans organization at Crawfordsville and served as the group’s first adjutant. He was also a member of the Presbyterian Church there. Services will be at 2 p.m. tomorrow in Flanner & Buchanan Fall Creek Mortuary with burial in Glen Haven Memorial Cemetery. Survivors are a son, Clifford M. Fry, employee at the Allison Division of General Motors; a daughter, Marguerite Gabbert, wife of Bill Gabbert, Indianapolis jeweler and a grandson. - transcribed by kbz
