COLUMBIA CITY - Jerome Fry, 76, of Columbia City, died at 10:30 p.m. May 31, 2008, in his residence, after several months battling cancer.
He was born Oct. 3, 1931, in Warsaw, to Pastor Valmont A. and F. Beryl Weeks Fry. In 1949, he married Jean Delanoy. On Jan. 2, 1962, he married Dayra J. Bailer, who died March 14, 1995. On Oct. 5, 1996, in Columbia City, he married Marie Wilcoxson Stickler, who died Jan. 19, 2007. On May 2, 2008, in Columbia City, he married Nuha Salahud-Din, who survives.
He was a 1949 Columbia City High School graduate and served in the U.S. Navy as a seaman apprentice from Dec. 20, 1948, until July 2, 1953. He lived in Noble County for more than 30 years. He was a plumber/pipefitter at Slater Steel, Fort Wayne, for 34 years, and retired as a pipefitter in the paint booth department at General Motors, Fort Wayne, after 16 years. He was a member of St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, Columbia City, where he served as a Sunday school teacher, and a member of the Chain-O-Lakes Barbershop Chorus.
Also surviving are four sons: Daniel A. (and spouse Marie) Fry, Albion; David E. Fry, Columbia City; Darren S. (and spouse Kelly) Fry, Albion; and Donald B. (and spouse Regina) Fry, Warsaw; two daughters, Joanne D. (and spouse Don) Wolff, Valparaiso, and Heidi K.B. (and spouse Shawn) Marker, Hicksville, Ohio; four sisters, Jeanette (and spouse Gerald) Bills, Judith Hosler and Jayne Druley, all of Columbia City, and Joy Lewis, Winter Haven, Fla.; 20 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, a granddaughter and two brothers.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at DeMoney-Grimes Countryside Park Funeral Home, Columbia City, with Pastor Michael Dillon officiating. Burial will be in South Park Annex Cemetery, Columbia City, with graveside military rites by members of Korean War Veterans Honor Guard.
Calling is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
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Memorials to Chain-O-Lakes Barbershop Chorus or St. Matthew's United Methodist Church.
