Mary Margaret Fry
Mary Margaret Fry
Sepember 4, 1930 — September 25, 2018
Mary Margaret Fry of Burnet passed away peacefully in Georgetown on Sept. 25, 2018, at the age of 88. Born Sept. 4, 1930, to James Harry and Myrtle Warner Singleton, she grew up in Lufkin, Texas, where her family had deep roots. She was valedictorian of Lufkin High School in 1947 and graduated from Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College at the top of her class in 1950 with a double major in English/education and business.
Her first full-time teaching job at Bertram High School in Bertram, Texas, took her far from her native Piney Woods. It was there that she met her future husband, local automobile dealer James Edward Fry. They were married Dec. 20, 1952 and were approaching their 65th anniversary when James passed away in 2017.
In 1956, shortly after Rebecca Dyanne was born, Margaret and her family moved to Killeen, where James managed a used car lot associated with the family auto dealership, Fry Motors Inc. While there, James Jason was born. In 1962, the family relocated to Burnet, when Fry Motors consolidated all operations in the main dealership. She and James continued to live in Burnet until 2016, when they moved into Wesleyan at Estrella Assisted Living in Georgetown.
After a few years as a substitute teacher, Margaret returned to teaching full-time at Burnet High School in 1964. During her years teaching in Bertram and Burnet, three generations of students practiced grammar, literature, and composition in her English classes and a number of them have told the family that Margaret was their favorite teacher. For many years, all students enrolled in English IV at Burnet HS had Margaret as their teacher. Many have said if not for Margaret’s training, they would never have passed college English. She continued to teach until her retirement in spring 1989.
Throughout her career and into retirement, Margaret was active in serving her community. She tutored students after she retired and was active in the American Cancer Society and the Alpha Chi Chapter #46 of Delta Kappa Gamma, the International Society for Key Women Educators. She was very committed to the Friends of the Herman Brown Free Library, serving as an officer and active member of the organization for decades. She assisted in founding the Library Thrift Store and worked as a volunteer as long as her and James’ health allowed. She was honored to be named a board member emeritus in 2016.
Margaret was an active member of First United Methodist Church in Burnet, serving on various committees and volunteering in many capacities. She edited the church newsletter for a number of years, as well as coordinating a ministry to college students in which she sent care packages from the congregation throughout the school year. She was a faithful and active member of the choir and the Genesis Sunday School class.
Margaret made good use of her summers off from school, going on family trips to the Grand Canyon, the Canadian Rockies, and many other destinations. After retirement, she and James visited a number of other countries and made friends around the world. They built a special relationship with three exchange students from Ecuador, who spent time at the Fry home in the 1980s and still consider themselves part of the family.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Tommie C. Singleton, and her beloved husband James Edward Fry. She is survived by a daughter, Dyanne Fry Cortez and son-in-law Javier of Driftwood; a son, Rev. Dr. J. Jason Fry and daughter-in-law Joan of Corpus Christi; Juan Carlos Matamoros, Maria Del Carmen Matamoros, and Carolina Perdomo of Ecuador; two grandchildren, John David Fry of Burnet and Sarah Ruth Ayala and husband Ismael of Austin, as well as many former students, colleagues, and lifelong friends.
The family would like to thank the members of First United Methodist Church and pastor, Rev. Jason Teague, for really being the church for Margaret. They are also grateful for the staff at Wesleyan at Estrella Assisted Living, particularly Laurel Hall-Memory Care, as well as Wesleyan Hospice, for the competent, attentive, loving care of Margaret in her final days.
They especially want to thank Margaret’s personal care assistant of Wesleyan Home Health, Sandra Roel, who cared for her eight hours a day, seven days a week at the end. These servants not only took care of Margaret, but all of her family, as well.
A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church of Burnet, 301 East Graves, officiated by Rev. Jason Teague. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be made to Friends of the Herman Brown Free Library, First United Methodist Church of Burnet, or a charity of one’s choice.
