Carol Marie Frye

Carol Marie Frye, 88, of Carlisle passed away on Saturday, September 4, 2021. Carol was born December 25, 1932, in Racine, Wisconsin to the late Clifford and Dorothy Nelson. She was predeceased by her husband of 48 years, Richard "Valen" Frye. She is survived by her children, Darcie (husband, Morgan) Frye/Price of Carlisle, PA, Aaron (wife, Gloria) Frye of Boston, MA, Dana Frye, of Takoma Park, MD, and Amy Frye, of Hanover, PA; and siblings, brother, George (wife, Elke) Nelson, of Iowa City, IA; and sisters, Marilyn Detweiler, of Pittsburgh, PA, Alice Nelson, of Belvidere, IL; five grandchildren, David Frye and Stephen Frye, Kendra Deuel and Christopher Deuel and Gabriel Field; and four great grandchildren.

Carol was Valedictorian of her class from Belvidere HS, graduating in 1950. She earned her BA in education in 1954 from Antioch College, Ohio. Carol met her future husband Valen while at Antioch and they married in 1954. After college, Valen enlisted in the army and they moved to Germany where their first daughter, Darcie, was born. When they returned to the states they settled in New Cumberland, PA where they had three more children and raised their family.

Carol and Valen enjoyed a long life of travels and adventure. Their children will remember their father piloting a small plane on early family trips, summer car camping trips in the US and Canada and touring Europe living out of a VW bus. Carol’s siblings and close friends shared numerous camping trips, sailing trips on their boat, and travel and cruises abroad. All of these adventures were made possible by Carol’s knack for planning and her infinite patience.

In 1988, Carol and Valen retired to their farm in Manchester and those special years were filled with gardening, sailing, and traveling. After Valen’s death, in 2002, Carol continued to explore the world with siblings and close friends, taking many cruises and tours throughout the US, Europe and as far afield as China. She delighted in meeting new people, gaining insight into new cultures, and sharing these experiences with those closest to her. In 2007, Carol relocated to Carlisle to be closer to family.

Carol was always very community oriented and active. Early on, she volunteered with the League of Women’s Voters, school PTAs, the GFWC Red Land Area Women’s Club and Ashland Nature Society. In Carlisle, she supported local artists, attended all three of the Bosler library’s book clubs and was a season ticket holder for the downtown Carlisle theater. She enjoyed music, art and lectures at Dickinson College and was a dedicated participant in Peg Owen’s Fit for Life exercise class at the YMCA. Concerned about the increasing number of stray cats in Carlisle, Carol embarked on a personal mission, enlisting the help of her daughter, to TNR (trap, neuter and release) the wild adult cats, find homes for the kittens and she adopted a kitten herself.

Carol had many friends in Carlisle and often saw them on her long daily walks around town. She was genuinely curious about others' well-being, took an interest in their lives and always had time for a kind word to a stranger. Carol was a liberal thinker, a humanitarian, and an avid supporter of causes aimed at improving the lives of others as well as an eternal optimist. She was a lifetime member of National Public Radio (WITF) and a very generous supporter of multiple humanitarian and environmental organizations. She was an enthusiastic lifelong learner and instilled a passion for reading and appreciation of nature with her children and grandchildren.

Carol will be remembered for her agile and open mind, her inquisitive, kind and generous nature, and the gift of her smile, which was often followed by her unforgettable laugh. She is missed, but her love for life will continue through the lives and hearts of all of those she touched.