Harold William Frye

Harold William “Bill” Frye, 93, passed away on March 16, 2019 after a short illness at the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center in La Junta. He was born on January 3, 1926 at home in La Junta, Colorado to J. Frank & Georgia (Sumpter) Frye. He grew up in the close community of North La Junta. The memories he enjoyed about exploring the North La Junta hills, swimming in the canal and hunting with his friends generated many entertaining stories.

About the time Bill started High School, his family moved “to town.” Because of WWII, Bill completed high school and a semester at Otero Junior College in three years. On his eighteenth birthday he enlisted in the Navy and was selected for the Medical Corp. Bill served as a Pharmacists Mate in the Pacific North West. During that time, he wrote to his high school sweet heart and asked her to join him. Ruthie Green said “Yes!” Both sets of parents and Ruth’s sister pooled their gas ration stamps and drove Ruthie in one car to her Navy groom in Bremerton WA. They were married in the Methodist Church there on November 16, 1944.

When the War ended Bill and Ruth returned to La Junta for a short time where their first child was born. The young couple then moved to Chicago where Bill attended Warsham College of Mortuary Science. Upon completing his training, they returned to La Junta to join Custis Green at the Green Mortuary. Later Green Mortuary merged with Peacocks to become Peacock Green and then Peacock Frye Funeral Home. Bill and his partners served the La Junta community for many years in mortuary services and also by running the ambulance service. He also served as President of the Colorado State Funeral Directors.

The town of their birth also saw the birth of more Frye babies and a whole lot of civic activity for Bill and Ruth. As a business man and father of six, Bill was active in the community by serving on boards or as officers or by donating his time to CAVI, Koshares, Lions Club, Elks, La Junta Chamber of Commerce, Mavericks, Otero County Sheriff’s Posse, Monday Evening Club, Mill Iron Wranglers, and the Kids Rodeo, where he announced for several years.

Bill and Ruthie had the gift of hospitality and often opened their home to new La Juntans and foreign exchange students. Holiday celebrations always included friends and sometimes strangers as well as the ever growing family. One OJC student from Japan even had her wedding at the Frye home.

An explorer from the start, Bill enjoyed nature and all that it holds. He had to check into every wilderness, and make it to the top of the highest hill. He loved to hunt and passed that passion on to many of his children and grandchildren.

Bill often said that the best times in his life were the times he was playing or working alongside of his children and grandchildren, especially with their horses or climbing the mountains around Beulah, CO. He made things fun and interesting, and he had funny nick names for many of his children and grandchildren. He also believed in hard work and expected his children and grandchildren to do the same.

When Bill retired from the funeral business, he and Ruthie moved to Beulah Colorado where they enjoyed the beautiful mountains for 20 years. They had been active in the Methodist church in La Junta and became faithful members of the tiny Methodist Church in Beulah.

From his youngest days, Bill loved history, learning about it, collecting it, and sharing his experiences with everyone. Bill didn’t know a stranger, and if one took time to talk to him, he would not only share his stories about the history of the people and places around this area, but he would also be interested to learn as much as he could about the person he was talking to.

After a long illness, Ruthie died in 2010. They had been married for 65 years. Bill moved back home to La Junta where he could enjoy his extended family and friends.

On January 28, 2012, at the age of 86, Bill married his friend and neighbor Clara Pearl White Henderson, “Tweety-Pearl” as he affectionately called her. She soon gained the love and respect of Bill’s very large family. Even in his old age, Bill was a child at heart and thought there was nothing he couldn’t do. He and Clara bought a home to fix up and remodel. He always had a project or dreams of one, right up to his last day.

Bill is preceded in death by his first wife, Ruthie Frye; his parents, Georgia and Frank Frye; parents-in-law, Custis and Dorothy Green; sister and brother-in-law, Helen and George Strain; son and daughter-in-law, Jerry and Daryln Frye; son-in-law, Kenneth Cranson, and nephew, Greg Strain. He is survived by his wife, Clara Frye; children, Jinnie (Frank) Malouff, Janell Cranson, Millie (Gail) Allen, Cindi (Ron) White, and Brad (Angela) Frye; 28 grandchildren, 61 great-grandchildren and one great, great-grandchild; as well as step-sons, Jerry (Debbie) Henderson and Randy (Mary) Henderson and their families.

Funeral service will be held on Friday, March 22, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church of La Junta. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery in La Junta. Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 21, 2019 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.at Peacock Memorial Chapel.

Those wishing to do so may make memorials to the Custis Green Family Foundation at the TBK Bank or to charity of choice.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.