William D. Frymire

Bill Frymire passed away peacefully March 20, 2012 at the age of 91 in Denver. Colonel Frymire was born March 26, 1920 in Vancouver Washington to Mr. & Mrs. William L. Frymire. He entered the military in November 1941.

Colonel Frymire completed 30 years of military service. He was a rated and commissioned second lieutenant in July 1942, became a bomber pilot and served through World War II.

In 1947 he received a Bachelor Degree in Industrial Arts from North Texas State University in Denton Texas and accepted a teaching position there. Returning to active duty with assignments as a pilot, operations staff officer, radar station commander, director of operations, Director of Plans and deputy chief of staff for operations.

His principal assignments were in Colorado Springs in headquarters ADC, NORAD and 14th Aerospace Force. He served in Headquarters USAF in the Pentagon and for one year in Vietnam. His overseas tours of duty were in North Africa, Japan, Iceland, and Vietnam.

During his career, Colonel Frymire received the Legion of Merit, with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star medal, Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal and various other service medals, He was a Command Pilot with over 4,500 flying hours. In 1943 he flew forty combat missions in B-26 Marauders over North Africa, Sicily and Italy.

Retiring in 1971 he became a Real Estate Broker and was a member of the Retired Officers Associations, the Air Force Association, the Colorado Springs Board of Realtors and is a member of the First United Methodist Church of Colorado Springs.

He was married February 24, 1945 to the Martha Elizabeth (Betty) Harvin in Shreveport, LA. They are the parents of three children, Polly (Wirtz), Peggy , (Sunny Sells) and William Robert. Betty Frymire preceded her husband in death in February 1987. In 1994 he married Elizabeth Franks Peterson who survives him with his children, grandchildren, Ali Silcox, Kevin Wirtz, Adam Frymire and Travis Frymire, and family Sam Sells, Nancy Frymire, Justin Silcox, four great grandchildren, Don & Dawn Peterson, Richard and Charlotte Peterson.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 3:00pm at Memorial Gardens Chapel at 3825 Airport Rd., Colorado Springs.

In lieu of Flowers donations can be made on behalf of Bill Frymire to the Colorado Springs Firefighters Protective Association, PO Box 8209, Colorado Springs, CO. 80933