Ninth Generation

673. Benjamin Edward FRY²⁰⁶ was born on 5 March 1919 in Ladonia, Fannin County, Texas.¹²³ He died on 18 March 2000 at the age of 81 in Dallas, Dallas County, Texas.²³⁰

Graduated from Ladonia High School in the Class of 1936; May 30, 1947 Ladonia News.

Ladonia News; Friday, Jan 4, 1940: Ben Ed Fry and John Haden left Tuesday for Austin where they will resume their work at the State University.

16 Oct 1940 World War II Draft Registration
Ben Ed Fry lived at 1535 Pennsylvania Ave, Ft. Worth, Tarrant , TX. He was age 21, born 5 Mar 1919 in Ladonia, Fannin Co, TX. His Father, Mr. Lucian F. Fry, of Ladonia, would always know his address. He was employed by Patterson Funeral Home at the above address. 5'11", 145 lb. Gray eyes, brown hair

US Marine Corps Muster Rolls
Benjamin E. Fry, Jul 1945
Pharmacist Mate 1st Class
Headquarters Squadron US Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, NC
Lorena was stationed in the same place - also a pharmacist mate - no doubt that's where they met.

US Dept of Veterans Affairs Death File: Enlisted 24 Jun 1941; discharged 9 Oct 1945.

1950 Census. Fannin, TX, Hh 123
Ben Ed Fry, 31, b. TX, Consignee Petroleum Products
Lorena, wife, 31, b. MS
Frances, dau, 3, b. TX
Susan K., dau, 1, b. TX

Ben Ed Fry still lived in the "Fry Homeplace" outside of Ladonia, Texas, ca 1995. His daughters were the 5th generation to live in the house. It was built by Alexander Kellar Fry in 1854 and has undergone extensive remodeling through the years.
From Ladonia News, Friday, July 25, 1952. Mr. & Mrs. Ben Edd Fry and daughter spent last weekend in Crystal Springs, MS, with Mrs. Fry's parents, Mr. & Mrs. C. W. Palmer.

Ladonia Cemetery:
FRY Ben Ed
Lot 44 B IOOF Sect 3
3/5/1919 – 3/18/2000
He served in the US Navy in World War II and has a military marker as well as the joint marker with his wife. Rank was PMH1
On a site of Navy rank, I found this: PMH1 is PHOTOGRAPHER'S MATE (MICROFILM) PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS

Benjamin Edward FRY and Lorena Bell "Tee" PALMER were married on 22 September 1945 in Norfolk (Independent City), Virginia. Lorena Bell "Tee" PALMER, daughter of Charles Watkins PALMER and Anna SHARP, was born on 22 January 1919 in Crystal Springs, Copiah County, Mississippi.²³⁰ She died on 5 November 1999 at the age of 80 in Ladonia, Fannin County, Texas.²³⁰

U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls
Lorena B. Palmer, Oct 1944
Pharmacist Mate, 3rd Class
Headquarters Squadron, US Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, NC.

Has military stone - PHM2; US Navy, World War II.
[Marines were a division of the Navy in WW II)

The Paris News, Paris, TX, 7 Nov 1999, Sunday, p. 8
Lorena Belle Palmer Fry
LADONIA - Lorena Belle Palmer Fry, 80, of Ladonia, passed away Thursday, Nov 4, 1999 at her home.
Funeral services will be held at 2 pm Monday at the First United Methodist Church in Laonia with the Rev. Steven Bell officiating. Burial will be in Ladonia Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 7-8:30 pm today at Delta Funeral Home.
Mrs. Fry was born Jan. 22, 1919 in Crystal Springs, Miss. to Charles Watkins Palmer and Anna Sharp Palmer. She married Ben Ed Fry on Sept 22, 1945 in Norfolk, VA. She served in the U.S. Navy during WW II and was a laboratory technician. She was a member of the Methodist Church of Ladonia.
Survivors include her husband; daughters, Fran Harris of Dallas, Susan Epstein of Southlake, and Paula Nelson of Dallas; sisters, Katherine Barron and Mary Evans both of Crystal Springs, MS; and six grandchildren.

Benjamin Edward FRY and Lorena Bell "Tee" PALMER had the following children: