Bio of Reuben Macon Fry II

The second child of Reuben Macon Fry and Brooksie Hutchins was Reuben Macon Fry II, born in Lake Village, Arkansas on 14 April 1875. When he was about five years of age his family removed to Fort Smith Arkansas, where he lived out his childhood and pursued his early schooling.

At the age of thirty he was married to Louise Estelle Kerr in Uniontown, Fayette county Pennsylvania. They were the parents of two sons, Reuben Macon Fry III and Joseph Kerr "Joe" Fry. The family appears in Uniontown, Pennsylvania in the 1910 and 1920 census. Louise Kerr Fry died in 1932, and Reuben M Fry was secondly married to Sara Miller in 1933.

Reuben Macon Fry worked in both the coal and banking industries in and around Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. In later life, he and his wife Sara moved to Arlington, Virginia.

Reuben M Fry died on the 27th of October 1956. We have a brief obituary that appeared in an unidentified local newspaper:

Reuben Macon Fry, 81, a retired bank examiner with the Treasury Department, died yesterday at his home, 6016 Wilson boulevard, Arlington, from complications following a hip fracture. Mr Fry served with the Government about 14 years before his retirement 10 years ago. A native of Arkansas, he was in business in Uniontown Pa before coming to Washington. He is survived by his widow, Mrs Sarah M Fry, two sons Macon in Japan and Joseph Kerr Fry of Norfolk, and three grandchildren. Also surviving is a sister, Mrs Aubin Clarkson of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma . .

At the time of his death, his wife Sara Miller Fry, wrote to her sister-in-law, Aubin Fry Clarkson in Oklahoma City:

Dear Aubin,

So many times I have wanted to write to you but did not have the time. After we came home from Ephrata - Reuben was just fine - Had his TV in his room asked me to go out in the yard to see about a little tree he had planted this spring - Friends and neighbors came in but every day he looked more frail. His appetite failed and his heart gave out - He knew my sister and then turned to me and said "Girl you get some sleep" after that he just slept away. He had no pain - Before this every day he asked about you and "what do you hear from Oklahoma".

He had two fine Drs, one for his hip, the other for his heart. They did everything they could. It was at his request to be buried near our home - we talked about this when he was so sick at the Hospital. He wanted only the graveside service which was very beautiful - Many friends and neighbors were there - Joe and Joshua came.

Thanks so much for the nice letters from Edwin and Albert, they helped quite a lot. He was such a wonderful person. Everyone loved him. I don't know what I am going to do - Right now I can't even think - I just feel numb.

I hope you are feeling better. Lots of love, Sara

Notes for Reuben Macon Fry II; compiled by Pamela Hutchison Garrett, 2013; for Family Stories at pamgarrett.com.