Eugene Harold Fry

He attended Galvin School and graduated from Centralia High School. He attended Centralia Community College, University of Washington and received a teaching degree from Western Washington State College on June 11, 1965 and a master’s in education from Oregon State University on August 15, 1970.

He married his wife Vallie Jo Fry in 1976 and is survived by her, a brother Elmer Fry who resides in Chehalis, two children Teri Lynn Elliott (John) and Mark Eugene Fry, two step children Albany Lee Walters and Bryan James Peterson (Tami), seven grandchildren, one great grandson and nieces and nephews.

Gene taught for the North Thurston School District for 30 years and retired in 1995. In addition to teaching traffic safety he coached track and football and served as chief negotiator for the teacher’s union for many of those years. After retirement, he began building houses for family and friends and worked on assorted construction projects with Ron Raben.

Gene played both track and football in high school. His football career continued at Centralia Community College, University of Washington and at Western Washington State College. He loved sports and he continued to coach through out his teaching career.

He was a hunter and fisherman and loved fishing with longtime friends and hunting with some of those same friends and his brother Elmer in later years. He loved spending time in Hawaii and he and his wife had traveled there every year for the last fourteen years often with friends and family.

He participated in the Senior Olympic Games in Olympia from 2001 through 2007 along with George Rowswell (coach, mentor, and friend) and has many gold, silver, and bronze medals from his participation in both shot and discus.

Most of all Gene loved his family and was proud of them and all their accomplishments. One of his favorite things to do was treating family to dinner which he did any chance he got.

No memorial is planned at this time. To leave a condolence for the family, please go to millsandmillsfunerals.com.