Richard was born October 20, 1931 in Sprague, West Virginia to Lynoel W. Fridley and Icie Neff Fridley. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, West Virginia - Class of 1949. In February 1951, Richard entered the US Navy and was assigned to Hospital Corps School in Great Lakes, IL.
Richard married Shirley Ann Roberts in 1955 and they had 3 sons, Richard Ervin Fridley, David Lynoel Fridley, and Robert Lynoel Fridley, who died on October 27th 1964.
Richard retired from the US Navy on June 1, 1980 after 30 years of faithful service at a variety hospitals and duty stations. He was especially proud of his 12 years as a hospital corpsman with the US Marine Corps. At the time of his retirement, Richard was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his service as the Command Master Chief, Naval Aerospace and Regional Medical Center, Pensacola, FL from July 1972 until June 1980. After his retirement from the Navy, Richard served as an Industrial Hygiene Technician and Occupational Safety and Health Inspector for the Naval Air Rework Facility, in Pensacola, Florida. He retired from Civil Service in 1993 from the position as Safety Manager at NTTC Corry Station.
Richard was an active a member of the Myrtle Grove Masonic Lodge #352, Scottish Rite and York Rite of Pensacola, and the Hadji Shrine Antique Car Unit. In his retirement, he especially enjoyed his annual fishing trips to Ontario, Canada with his brother Howard Fridley and nephew Edward Fridley, along with annual reunions with the rest of the Fridley Family in King of Prussia, PA.
Richard was preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, Shirley, on November 6, 1998, and his brother Lawrence Fridley. He is survived by his sons David Fridley of Pensacola, Florida and Richard E. Fridley, USN Retired, of Annandale, VA, his daughter-in-law Pamela Wilgenbusch Fridley and his three grandchildren Elizabeth, Carolyn, Paul; and his brother, Howard G. Fridley of King of Prussia, PA.
His wife Shirley has reserved place for him at the Barrancas National Cemetery at NAS Pensacola, where he wishes to join her.
Visitation will take place at 8:00 am on Thursday, December 26, 2019 at Oak Lawn Funeral Home, 619 N. New Warrington Rd. Funeral service will begin at 9:00 am. Interment will immediately follow at Barrancas National Cemetery with full military honors.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Richard L. Fridley to Hadji Shriners Children’s Hospital at www.hadjishriners.org or, Myrtle Grove Masonic Lodge #352 Charity Fund.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oaklawnfunerals.com for the Fridley family.
