Virgil Mathias Fry, 87
Published 9:43 am Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Virgil Mathias Fry, 87, of Austin, died peacefully on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home in Austin.
Fry
Virgil was born in Burton Township, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, on March 6, 1927, to Mathias and Julia (Ademmer) Fry. He attended school in the St. Leo area. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on July 6, 1945, and served in Germany until Feb. 16, 1947. He married Ruth Marie Benson on Nov. 28, 1953, at St. Eloi Catholic Church in Ghent, Minnesota. They then moved to Austin.
Upon moving to Austin, he worked for a brief time at Nord’s City Service gas station. He then went to work as a truck driver and heavy equipment operator for Thompson & Lewison Excavation for 23 years. In 1977, he purchased the Thompson Excavation portion of the business and ran that business for 10 years. After selling his business, he drove truck for Austin Ready Mix until his retirement in 1993.
Virgil was a member of St. Augustine Catholic Church, Austin American Legion, V.F.W. and the Eagles Aerie No. 703.
Virgil enjoyed gardening, fishing, the occasional trip to the casino, playing cards with friends, spending time with his family and his daily coffee with his loyal coffee group.
Virgil is survived by his wife Ruth of Austin; son, Steven (Pam) Fry of Elysian, Minnesota; daughter, Katherine (Robert) Horstman of Shell Knob, Missouri; grandchildren: Christina (Dustin) Crooks, Bobbie Jo (Brett) Clark, Bethanie (Todd) Lange, John Horstman, Brian Fry and Daniel Fry; six great-grandchildren; sisters: Margaret Hick of New Hope, Agnes Dixon of Buffalo; along with nieces and nephews.
Virgil is preceded in death by his parents; brothers: John, Francis, Bernard, Anthony and Alois Fry; and sisters: Rose Wilson and Marie Fry and three sisters-in-law.
A funeral mass will be at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at St. Augustine Catholic Church with Father Jim Steffes officiating. Visitation will be an hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery with the American Legion Post No. 91 and V.F.W. Post No. 1216 performing military graveside rites. Mayer Funeral Home is entrusted with Virgil’s arrangements. Online Condolences-www.mayerfh.com.