Grace Adele Frary Scholarship Program

This scholarship program is sponsored by the Frary Family Association and is a cash award presented to a worthy student heading for college under the age of 25.  Its founder was Grace Adele Frary who initiated the program with a cash gift to the Frary Family Association in 1981.  The scholarship has been awarded since its inception at every biennial meeting of the Frary Family Association in Old Deerfield, MA

 

Who was Grace Adele Frary?  The following is condensed from a biography by Jeanine Burt (Frary) Cobb, Grace Adele’s niece. 

 

Grace Adele Frary was born in Ticonic, Iowa, November 5, 1895.  Her Father was Clarence Racine Frary E1895.  She was named after her Grandmother Adelaide Adele (Champney) Frary, wife of Delos Racine Frary E695.  When Grace was 6, the family moved to Colorado and then to Oklahoma.  Grace finished high school and business college and was employed by the Carter Oil Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma.   Grace remained with Carter Oil for many years, being the secretary to Mr. Wilbur Funk, an executive in Carter Oil.  Later, some years after the death of  Mr. Funk’s wife, he asked Grace to marry him.

 

In the 1940’s the couple moved to Dallas, Texas, and  while in Fort Worth,  Mr. Funk proceeded to discuss marriage to Grace with Jeanine’s parents, Ila Marian (Frary) Burt E1421 and John Edward Burt.   Unfortunately, on the way back to Dallas Mr. Funk suffered a heart attack and died.  Grace moved to Los Angeles and lived trading in the stock market until 1962 when she moved back to Forth Worth to be next to Jeanine’s family.

 

Illness forced Grace to be essentially housebound, but she was excited that the Frarys were gathering information for a family genealogy.  She was disappointed she could never attend a Frary meeting or see the Frary House in Old Deerfield, MA.  She sent a check to the FFA  stating,” it was to be the beginning donation for a scholarship to one of her worthy young relatives.”  Grace had stipulated that only the interest on the principal was to be used.  It took several years to accrue enough so that the first winner was awarded $500.  Since then the award has grown as the fund has matured.

 

In Grace’s later years she became essentially housebound, still buying and selling stocks. Aunt Grace died August 29, 1981, but her memory will persist in the scholarship she founded.  She is missed by all of us who know her well and especially by those of us who never were fortunate enough to know her in life.

 

Lynn Reginald Frary E1720, MD

August 13, 2016