Beloved mother of six children Iris Edith Garland Frye, age 92 years, 5 months and 29 days, entered the gates of heaven on July 8, 2009. She was lovingly cared for in her home during her illness by her children and their families.
Iris was born to Tillman and Nellie Garland on Jan. 9, 1917 in the small community of Denver, Ark. There were 15 children in the Garland family with 10 girls and one boy surviving past the age of a few days old. Siblings surviving are her brother, Howard Garland, of Springfield, Mo., and a sister, Cloda Hendrickson, of Bolivar, Mo.
Iris completed her elementary education at Robertson country school before her marriage to Glenn O. Frye. She and Glenn were married at Romance, Mo., during the General Baptist Association on Sept. 16, 1933. She and Glenn celebrated 67 years together before his death Nov. 13, 2000. Iris was the beloved mother of six children. One son, Robert Lee Frye, preceded her in death.
Children surviving are: Roy Frye of the home, Dorothy Treese, Ozark, Mo., Myrtle Case and husband, Larry of Sparta, Jerry Frye and wife, Bonnie, Springfield, Mo., and Glenda Hall and husband Otis, Ozark, Mo. She is also lovingly survived by 17 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, 24 great-great-grandchildren and their families.
Iris was a devoted member of Black Oak General Baptist Church for more than 50 years where she served as church clerk and other areas of ministry throughout her years there. Even though her voice was getting weak, she loved to sing songs that had a special message in them.
In her younger years, she opened her home to many soldiers that her soldier son brought home on weekends. They were far from their homes while stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood. She received cards and letters from those soldiers after they had families of their own.
A beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great grandmother, Iris always saw to the needs of her family. To her large family she leaves a message of great strength and faith; a faith that saw her through difficult times of losing a son, a husband and her own illnesses including her final one, pancreatic cancer. She was a woman of faith and prayer for her family, always praying for salvation of the ones that had not accepted Christ as their personal Savior.
Our family gatherings will not be the same without Mother and Dad but the legacy of spiritual strength, integrity and love they exemplified will always be felt by all those who knew them.
A celebration of her life was held Monday, July 13, at 2 p.m. in the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava, with burial in Fannon Cemetery. Officiating the service were the Revs.
Jerry Wayne Frye and Tom Johnson. Visitation was Monday from 1 p.m. till service time. The family requests that memorials be made to St. John’s HospiceCare in Springfield, or Gideons International. Online condolences may be made to www.clinkingbeardfuneralhome. com.
Mother’s Prayer
Lord, I’m tired and so weary and if you feel I’ve finished my task,
I’m ready to come home, Lord, but there’s one last thing I ask.
Be with each one of my children, Lord,
And each child that they have raised,
May they all love and serve you, Lord,
And your name forever be praised.
Help them in their sorrow, Lord, as no more on this earth I roam,
So I pray, rejoice with me, my children,
For I’ve reached my heavenly home. Amen.
