Elsie Gwendolyn Fry

Elsie Gwendolyn Fry, age 93, of Chowchilla, California passed away on Friday, May 20, 2022. Elsie was born at home on the family farm between Saskinaw and Cottage Grove, Oregon, August 1, 1928 to her parents Charles Morgan Cotter and her mother Gwendolyn Haight-Cotter Heer. Elsie's mother married to her second husband later years giving Elsie a sister Caroline Heer and a brother Davis Heer.

Elsie attended elementary schools in Saskinaw and Cottage Grove, then her junior high and part of her high school years were in Eugene Oregon. Elsie and her family then moved to Chowchilla where she completed her last two years at Chowchilla Union High School as a Chowchilla Redskin, which suited her to a T! She graduated with the Class of 1946 and her beloved husband Jack Fry graduating with the class of 1945 and married soon after graduation and spending 76 years of their life together raising their three children, Steven Fry, Tom Fry, and Penni Fry-Johnson.

Elsie went onto college for a semester at San Jose State, then she and Jack Fry married and moved onto the Fry Family Farm on Avenue 22 1/2 and lived in a tiny cottage alongside Jack's parents, John and Mabel Fry, and next door to Jack's grandparents, Walter and Dorothy Fry, pioneers to the Chowchilla area around the very early 1900's, where they purchased land from O.A. Robertson.

Elsie and Jack built up their farm to the ranch that it is today, encompassing acreage up and down Road 12 and along Avenue 22 1/2.

Married for 76 years, Elsie and Jack were great parents and partners together! Mainly raising up chickens and turkeys by the thousands, they also farmed an amazing amount of diversified crops and orchards. Many long-time Chowchillans, Presbyterians, Lions and Lioness Club Members, Flying Farmers Club Members, and international students and visitors have had the fun of eating Elsie's creations and Jack's ice cream around their kitchen table. Her favorites were her own style of roast turkey rolls and eating "spaghetti on the board." Her artistic and inquisitive nature, creativity, and inventiveness knew no limits!

We shall miss her greatly!

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Chowchilla Cornerstone Community Church, 208 Fig Tree Road, Chowchilla, California.