RIP Harry K. Fry

**imported_fred** · May 20th, 2006, 11:17 PM

The Legend of Legion, The Silver Fox, GC's 1st Hall of Famer, great Coach, BUT most of all one of the BEST men I have ever know, has passed away. I played for him in the 60s, coached for him in the 70s and 80s, and will miss him greatly. May God's grace be sufficient to Lou and Keener and the rest of the family. And to Coach, I say "So long, to a true friend and mentor." Godspeed.

**Unchained** · May 21st, 2006, 12:09 AM

Add another to the list of great football men that we have lost this year. Thoughts and prayers to the folks from GC (been a rough few weeks)

**imported_GC_Quincy** · May 21st, 2006, 12:28 AM

Sad news for Gate City. I have a video from a pre-season football banquet from the mid 90's that I still watch every year right before season starts. He was hilarious on there. We lost another great man, not just a great coach. He will be missed. I promise ya he saw a familiar face when he walked thru the gates. Godspeed coach. We'll miss ya.

**imported_broady** · May 21st, 2006, 12:53 AM

"It's just a good little ol' country town," said Harry Fry, who has lived in Gate City since 1953 and coached the Blue Devils' football team for 29 years. "It's good folks. I wouldn't live anyplace else for nothing. Now we get a little gossip here and there, you know. But everybody loves everybody come Friday night."

On Friday nights in the fall, football is king in Gate City, a town of about 5,000 residents located in the southwesternmost reaches of Virginia, five miles from the Tennessee border.

All the stores in town shut down early. Blue Devils fans, more than 5,000 of them on most nights, pack the stands an hour before kickoff.

"This is a football town," Fry said. "Everybody in town is interested in football--men, women, babies, children.

"It's a full house an hour before the ball game, been that way for years. It's wild, everybody whooping it up, chawing at the bit, waiting for the game."

A great quote by a great man and well loved by all that knew him. We all know that our tradation started by Coach Fry. This is a sad year in Gate City with all that was lost. I know he is chawing it up with Tom & Toby on the streets of gold. RIP COACH

**imported_GC1** · May 21st, 2006, 07:58 AM

Another sad day in Gate City. A great Coach but even more a great person. May the Lord comfort Coach's family. The season opener, and the season as a whole, will be an emotional one in GC this fall with the losses of 2 fine men we've had who will be greatly missed.

May 21st, 2006, 08:57 AM

Another great coach and great person gone.

To all the folks in GC you are in our thoughts and prayers.

As is the family of Coach Fry.

This has been a hard year, we all have lost many great people, who influenced many. Using a simple idea, of being true to who they were and showing the love and caring to what they cared about.

I'd say Tom, Toby and Coach Fry are talking Friday Nights Already.

May 21st, 2006, 06:09 PM

Thats one of the coolest things I have ever read. Thats a quote. Thats what it is.
Respect to Coach Fry.

**imported_broady** · May 21st, 2006, 11:13 PM

Coach Harry Fry, 80, Gate City, Va. Return to top

GATE CITY, Va. - Harry Keener Fry, 80, Gate City, Va., entered into rest Saturday (May 20, 2006) at Indian Path Medical Center.

Born in Lee County, Va. on August 19, 1925, he was the son of the late Cameron Blair and Mabel Louise Davis Fry.

He was a member of Gate City United Methodist Church.

Mr. Fry was a native of Pennington Gap, Va. After graduating from Milligan College in 1949, he received his master's degree from George Peabody College.

He began teaching and coaching in St. Charles, Va., later in Saltville, Va., and in 1953 began a long and successful career at Gate City High School.

He coached football, baseball and track in addition to serving as athletic director and teaching Geometry.

His more noted accomplishments include beginning a little league football program, which lead to many successful football teams at Gate City High School. His teams won numerous district and region titles and won state championships in 1970 and 1974.

His success as a coach cannot be measured in wins and loses, but in the positive impact he had on the many lives he touched.

He was inducted into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 1991 and into the Milligan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.

He retired from teaching and coaching in Scott County in 1983.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Lois Neeley Fry; his sisters, Helen Setzler, Louise Lunsford, Alta Whitesell and Becky Hunicutt; and brother, Ted Fry.

Fry
He is survived by his daughter, Lou Britt and husband, Ed, Gate City, Va.; son, Keener Fry and wife, Lisa, Huntington, W.V.; grandchildren, Lt. Ed Britt and wife, Alissa, Destin, Fla., Lt. jg Jon Britt, Norfolk, Va., Joseph Fry and Cameron Fry, both of Huntington, W.V.; and several nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. on Monday at the Gate City Funeral Home and other times at the residence.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Tuesday in the Gene Falin Memorial Chapel of the funeral home with the Rev. Steve Brown officiating.

His son, Keener Fry, will give a eulogy.

Jim Belt Baker, Carolyn McPherson and Patsy Hensley will provide music.

Burial will follow the service at Holston View Cemetery in Weber City, Va.

Tim Blankenbeckler, Chuck Willis, Stanley Rogers, Rick Begley, Johnny Miller, Doug Humphreys, Bucky Clabaugh and Gilbert Smith will serve as pallbearers.

All former Gate City High School coaches and players will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family wishes to convey a special thank you to his caregivers, Jerri Alley, Sue Burton, Patsy Hensley, Jo Kincer and Rocio McDavid and to the nurses and staff on the fourth floor of Indian Path Medical Center for the care and concern shown during his hospital stay.

Contributions may be made to the Harry and Lois Fry Memorial Scholarship Fund in care of Mitzi Barger Wilson, Bank of America, 141 East Jackson Street, Gate City, Va. 24251.

Online condolences may be made to the family of Coach Harry Fry at [email protected].

Gate City Funeral Home, Inc. is serving the family of Harry K. Fry.

**tobys_girl75** · May 22nd, 2006, 11:04 PM

To lose a loved one is a terrible and tragic thing. Toby had alot of respect for Coach Fry. When he spoke to me about him, he spoke with pride and honor to have been in his presence. I am sure that Toby was there at the pearly gates waiting for him. We have lost alot of great people this year. The only comfort that can be found is with the Lord. My thoughts and prayers are with Coach Fry's family tonight. May they find the peace they need to make it through this difficult time. God Bless You.