Opal Lee Fry

Opal was born on July 20, 1925 to Amos Arthur Manley and Ocie Lethie (Price) Manley in Cooper, Texas. She was educated in the Dial Community and Honey Grove and graduated from Honey Grove High School in 1942. She attended East Texas State College (now TAMU-Commerce) where she met a handsome young man who helped her with Physics homework. That young man, Wilburn Fry, Jr., became the love of her life and her husband on April 15, 1944. They celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary in April of this year. Their union was blessed by the birth of two daughters.

Although Opal worked at various jobs early in their marriage to help put Wilburn through medical school, she was finally able to settle into her role as a busy doctor’s wife, homemaker, wonderful mom, and most importantly, dedicated Christian servant. She was truly a “Proverbs 31 Woman” and was characterized by her generosity, love for people and her passion for the mission’s ministries of her church.

Opal, along with her husband, was an active member of Parkside Baptist Church, Denison, for many years until they could no longer attend. She served the church in many capacities, but the most important to her was mission’s involvement. She and Wilburn participated in medical mission construction trips to 13 different churches in several states. Then in 1993 after Wilburn’s retirement, they became Mission’s Coordinators for Parkside Baptist on a volunteer basis. It was her joy to be able to travel with a group of Parksiders to several cities in Russia in both 1997 and 1998 to share the Gospel through Scripture distribution, and donating needed medications to doctors there for their pediatric patients.

She is survived by her husband Dr. Wilburn Fry of Denison, daughters Elise Ruddell and husband John, and Esther Taylor and husband Richard all of Denison. She is also survived by 3 grandchildren who were the light of her life: Melody Ruddell of Houston, Dr. Timothy Ruddell and wife Amy of Sherman, and Hollie Taylor of Denison, and one great-grandchild, Olivia Kate Ruddell of Sherman. Also surviving her are dearly loved nieces, nephews, and a host of precious friends.

Opal was pre-deceased by her parents, Amos and Ocie Manley, brothers Oris Manley and Ivon Manley, sisters Iris Belle Manley and Mabel Ann Sanders, sisters-in-law Audrey Manley and Rachel Manley, and brother-in-law A.E. Sanders.

A celebration of Opal’s life will be at 2:00PM, Tuesday, October 29, 2013, at Parkside Baptist Church, Denison, with Dr. Chet Haney officiating, with burial to follow at Cedarlawn Memorial Park, Sherman. Family visitation will be at Bratcher Funeral Home from 5:00 – 7:00PM Monday, October 28, 2013.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Opal’s name may be made to the mission’s ministries of Parkside Baptist Church.

Personal condolences may be sent to www.bratcherfuneralhome.com