LaVara Jane Frye

LaVara was the beloved daughter of the late John and Ruby Farmer; devoted wife to the late Lloyd F. Frye for the past 20 years; loving mother of Alessandra (Bob) Curtis, Deborah (the late Harry) Tayon, and Andrea (Dan) Colvin; dear step mother of Dennis Frye and Karen Frye; adoring grandmother to Catherin (Christopher) Green, Jessica Curtis, Julie (Christian) Cushing, Heather (Robert) Martin, Jennifer Colvin, Timothy (Sandy) Colvin, and the late Bobby G. Curtis III; loving great grandmother of 36; and dearest sister of Eileen Hoganson and the late LeRoy Farmer. LaVara is also survived by many nieces, nephews, extended family, and dear friends. She is also preceded in death by her first husband, Raymond S. Jones, and her third husband, Noel Goodman.

LaVara was born and raised in the St. Louis area. She earned her master’s degree in music at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). She then went on to work for the St. Charles School District where she was the head of the string instrument department. Also, throughout LaVara’s career in music, she had the pleasure of playing for the St. Louis Symphony and performing at the Muny Opera. She was also a long-time member, choir director and organist at her church, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church of Ferguson; and later in life she became a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Her favorite hobbies included calligraphy, drawing, painting, Japanese gardening and, of course, music. LaVara will be remembered as a very strong, loving, generous and understanding lady who lived for music, family and travel. Please honor LaVara’s life and her memory by doing the things you love to do. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can manage to do today because tomorrow may never come. LaVara will truly be missed by all of her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in LaVara’s name to the American Diabetes Association.