Charles Fry

Charles Lindbergh Fry, 92, passed away in his sleep Monday, January 20, 2020 at the home he shared with his beloved wife Alice in Paradise Valley, Arizona.  

     After 68 years of marriage, Chuck stayed by Alice's side as long as his body would allow.  Chuck shared love and laughs with close family and friends, and competitive dominoes with worthy opponents.  He was even crowned World Domino Champion in San Francisco in 1970.

     Charles was born on May 31, 1927 in Stigler, Oklahoma to Leela Mae and Dalquist Dalquin Fry.  He had four brothers and sisters - Yvonne, Don, Cotton, and Laverne.

     Chuck and his family lived through the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl and were shaped by hardship and close kin.

     Chuck played basketball with a vengeance and after graduating from Bartlesville High School in 1944, went on to play for Oklahoma State on a scholarship, and graduated from East Texas Baptist College in 1949 where he earned all-state honors.

     He served his country well in the Navy from 1944-1945 on the Heavy Cruiser Chicago.

     Charles met his beautiful and brainy wife Alice Jean and had the good sense to marry her in 1951.  As Chuck liked to say, they made a great team.

     Chuck and Alice moved to Wichita, Kansas, where Alice worked for Cessna and Chuck worked for Boeing to save enough money to kick start a business of their own.  They wisely invested in Chuck's grocery store venture with his brother Don - Fry's Food Stores in 1955 in Richmond, California.

     Many will know the phrase "Your best buys are always at Fry's."  Chuck was a visionary and he and his brother grew their grocery store chain from one to many, always striving for great quality at a good price.

     They eventually sold to the mega-chain Kroger and Alice continued to shop at Fry's and school willing managers on how to stay on brand to provide top notch service and quality.  Chuck enjoyed looking at his his Kroger stock as it gained value over the years.

     Charles and Alice raised three rambunctious boys - John, Randy and Dave on their ranch in Martinez, California.

     The Fry boys eventually pooled their resources and formed Fry's Electronics in 1985. Inspired by Dad's grocery business and the burgeoning computer industry. It was the Silicon Valley synthesis of computer chips and potato chips.

     Chuck and Alice are blessed with ten grandchildren - Natalie, Joshua, Lina, Amora, Erica, Will, Jake, David, Brad and Amy: And nine great grandchildren - Nicole, Megan, Haley, Evan, Elise, Charlie, Kaylee, MacKenzie, and Logan.

     Charles Lindbergh Fry will be lying in repose on Thursday, January 23, 2020 from 5pm until 7:30pm at Messinger Mortuary at 7601 East Indian School Road in Scottsdale, Arizona.  He will be flown back to the Bay Area for his memorial on Monday, January 27, 2020 at 11am at Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette, California. 

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