BIRTH 9 Mar 1925 Aberdeen, Brown County, South Dakota, USA

DEATH 22 Sep 2011 (aged 86) Lisbon, Ransom County, North Dakota, USA

BURIAL Riverside Memorial Park at Aberdeen, Brown County, South Dakota

Spouse -- Helen Evangeline Williams Fry married 1951

The memorial service for William "Bill" Fry, 86, Lisbon, ND and formerly Aberdeen will be 11:00 am Saturday, October 1, 2011 at Sptizer-Miller Funeral Home, 1111 S. Main St., with Pastor Deb Grismer officiating. Inurnment will be at Riverside Memorial Park with military honors by Sidney L. Smith American Legion Post 24.

Bill died Thursday, September 22, 2011 at the Veteran's Home, Lisbon.

William "Bill" Francis Fry was born March 9, 1925 to William and Lillian (Nanny) Fry in Aberdeen, SD. He was baptized and attended school in the Aberdeen area. He was a brother to four, sister Helen Murray, brothers Roy, Marion and Myles Fry.

January, 1944 he entered WWII in the 28th Infantry Division of the US Army. He was captured and retained as a prisoner of war for seven months. He suffered starvation, freezing temperatures and unimaginable conditions for a human being to endure. He was honorably discharged in November of 1945 as a Corporal. He received the Good Conduct Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and a Purple Heart for wounds received in Germany, November 1944 when captured.

He returned to Aberdeen, SD to help with the family trucking business. He hauled livestock long and short distances. He eventually bought the business and continued as Bill Fry Trucking. He married Helen Williams in 1951. They had 5 children. Bill loved auctions – he made buying things an art form. He was always making a deal. The war made him fearful of being without, so he made sure to always have ample supply of –everything! He was generous to his friends and family. He was the driving companion you could count on – he didn't mind leaving early, even 4 am. He was a GPS before they were invented, he knew every road and back road that existed. In his later years, he enjoyed watching his children and their families grow and succeed. He was appreciative of every visit and phone call.

He died at the Veterans Home in Lisbon, ND on September 22, 2011 after a battle with heart failure and cancer.

Grateful for having shared his life are his children; Richard (Roxie) Fry, Robert (Donna) Fry, William (Tracy) Fry, Lisa (Roger) Reich, Julie (Mike) Mallett, 17 Grandchildren, 8 Great-Grandchildren.

Preceding him in death is his wife; Helen, parents; William and Lillian Fry, siblings; Marion Fry, Myles Fry, Roy Fry, and Helen Murray, Grandson; Shannon Fry and one stillborn infant.

Cpl William Francis "Bill" Fry (1925) (POW)