Myrna Dee Fry, age 76, of Springfield, Illinois, passed away Saturday evening on June 17, 2017 in the home of her daughter Melani, Son-in-Law Jay Brooks, and their three daughters Faith, Anna, and Sophia, in Springfield, Illinois. 

     Myrna was born in Iuka, Illinois and was the third and youngest daughter of Elmo and Louise (Pickett) Widdows. Her oldest sister, Ramona Schroeder, passed on before her, and her middle sister, Diane Johnson (Wayne Eastin), whom she considered her friend as much as her sister, still lives in Flora, Illinois.

     Myrna married Michael William Fry on November 25, 1961, in Louisville, and together they shared 40 years of marriage before he died “way too young” from cancer. They had three children, Nathan Fry (Susan Swenson) of Heyworth, California, Melani (Jay) Brooks, and Jason Fry of Portland, Oregon. Myrna was a great mother. Family was her priority! She would be a millionaire if she had been paid for all the delicious food she cooked…not to mention all the apple pies, best-ever oatmeal cookies, fudge, and chocolate cake with white mountain icing. If you knew Myrna, then you knew all about her granddaughters, Faith, Anna, and Sophia. She was exceedingly proud of them. She was deemed “Grandma Shopping” early on by her oldest granddaughter, because of her love to shop.

     She was very involved with the Yo-Yo diet group in Flora…don’t know how much weight was ever lost, but really was all about friendship. She loved her diet girls and appreciated all the calls, cards, and visits to see her. She really missed their friendship and eating at Burger King, McDonalds, Duke’s, Julians and their end of the year parties!

     Some of her favorite things to do in Flora were picnics and drives through Charlie Brown Park, the DQ, Halloween parade with friends over afterwards such as the Venables (Myrna considered Ann Venable a sister) and the Kings, and swimming at Trago Lake.  She was a mean Scrabble player (she knew how to use ALL the letters to get big points), talented painter, book reader, crocheter, piano player, avid mushroom hunter, and seamstress. Myrna was a member of North Harter Christian Church and played piano for their services for 10 years. Prior to her passing, she reconfirmed her belief of Jesus as her Savior. She will be buried next to her husband, Mike, at Golden Cemetery, just down the road from North Harter.

     A funeral service for Myrna Fry will be 11 a.m. Thursday, June 22, 2017, at Frank & Bright Funeral Home, Flora, with interment following in Golden Cemetery.  A visitation will be held Wednesday evening from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.   In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Myrna’s memory may be made to North Harter Christian Church and will be accepted at the funeral home.