Barbara Fry

CARMEL, Ind. -- Barbara Ruth Fry, 88, of Carmel passed away peacefully Monday, Aug. 22, 2022, at IU Health North Hospital in Carmel.

She was born Aug. 28, 1933, near Doniphan, Missouri, to Joseph Chester and Doily D. Whitwell Hope.

She and met the love of her life, Elwayne Fry, on a blind date at University of Missouri-Columbia, and six months later they were married in Doniphan. In March of this year, they celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with family.

Barbara received a bachelor's degree in education in social studies with a minor in English. Barbara's first teaching job was in West Plains, Missouri, teaching sixth grade. Then she moved to East Prairie, Missouri, where she taught for two years at Canalou, Missouri, sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Next, she taught fourth grade at Dorena, Missouri. She finished her 25-year career at East Prairie, teaching fourth, fifth and sixth grades.

Barbara and her husband moved to Cape Girardeau to care for her mother. They were faithful attendees at Lynwood Baptist Church, where Barbara started a Latch Key program and a Mother's Day Out program.

During their retirement in Cape Girardeau, they traveled extensively both within United States and abroad. Cape Girardeau and Lynwood Baptist Church had been their home up until age 85. At this time, it had become more difficult to live unassisted, so they decided to move to Carmel into an assisted living facility closer to their son, Craig, and daughter-in-law, Paulette.

Barbara was a member of Beta Sigma Phi, was a very active member of church and enjoyed reading novels and Our Daily Bread Ministries booklets. She worked out several times per week to stay active. She played Bingo and participated in many other activities at the assisted living facility.

She will be greatly missed by all.

Survivors include her husband, Elwayne Fry, 89; four sons, Keith (Pat) Fry, Myron Fry, Craig (Paulette) Fry and Chris (Sujala) Fry; daughter, Mary Golden (Tom Swigunski); sister, Virginia Tyson; five grandchildren, Michael Golden, Brittney Golden, Krista Golden, Ozie (Raymond) Eaton and Corbin Fry; and three great-grandchildren, Traven Eaton, Tristan Eaton and Tyler Eaton.

Barbara was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Emma Jo Green of Jonesboro, Arkansas; and a grandson, Myron Wayne Fry Jr.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau.

Funeral will be at 9 a.m. Sept. 3 at the funeral home, with the Pastor Kevin Coffee officiating. Entombment will follow at Cape County Memorial Park Mausoleum in Cape Girardeau.

Memorial contributions may be given to March of Dimes, 11829 Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043; Community Counseling Center, 402 S. Silver Springs, Cape Girardeau, MO 63703, or American Cancer Society, 4207 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108.

Online condolences may be made at www.fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.