Dr. Benjamin M. Frye

Benjamin M. Frye, 90, was born in Spencer County, Kentucky on December 1, 1925 to parents Jesse Moss Frye and Celia May Truax. He was the middle of three sons and grew up in Kentucky. He passed away peacefully on April 28, 2016 at CoxHealth Hospital Springfield, Missouri.

On July 20, 1948 Benjamin married the love of his life, Donelda Clara Buell in Toppenish, Washington. They were married for nearly 68 years and served side by side in many avenues of ministry and enjoyed life to the fullest.

As a teenager, Ben started a home delivery milk service that he later sold to fund his Bible College education at Peniel Bible Institute. Upon completion, he began his home missions work in eastern Kentucky, serving many functions including preaching at outposts, and later as a teacher at Riverside Christian School in Lost Creek, KY. It was thru this home missions work, that he met Donelda Buell, who had traveled from Toppenish, Washington to also work in eastern Kentucky home missions. While continuing their labor of love for the people of the Kentucky mountains, Ben and Donelda married and started their family of 7 children. Ben felt the desire to continue his education, so he attended classes and received his Bachelor’s degree in 1964 at Morehead State College while still serving in home missions. When their youngest child was still a toddler, Ben felt led to move the family to Stillwater, Oklahoma where he attended Oklahoma State University, receiving his Master of Science (M.S.) in 1968 and Doctor of Education (Ed. D.) in 1971. He then accepted a teaching position at Okaloosa-Walton Jr College in Niceville, Florida. Later in his career he sold life and health benefit packages to staff at Florida Universities and Colleges for 25 years.

He is survived by his wife, Donelda, five sons and two daughters; Wesley and wife Donna of Thompson’s Station, TN; Wayne and wife Kathleen of Moore, OK; Dwight and wife Donna of Farmers Branch, TX; Wonetta of Edmond, OK; Wilma and husband Steve Bunch of Rogersville, MO; Jesse of Pensacola, FL; and Warren and wife Kerry of Cape Coral, FL., 13 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren.

Dr. Frye was a life-long educator in the college classroom and the Church. He was a member at Olive Baptist, Pensacola, Florida until his move to Missouri. He enjoyed tending to his flower beds, landscaping, and tree planting.

Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. on May 4, 2016 at Resthaven Memorial Park in Louisville, Kentucky followed by a memorial service in the chapel at 12:00 noon. Pallbearers include his son, Warren, and seven grandsons.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to Riverside Christian School, General Delivery, Lost Creek, KY 40318.

Arrangements under the direction of Arch L. Heady at Resthaven, Louisville, KY.