Russell Harlin Froyd, 91, passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of his family at Kavanagh House Hospice in Des Moines on Saturday, December 22, 2018. His wonderful life was spent with the people he loved doing the things that he loved.
Russ was born on December 20, 1927 in Villisca, Iowa to Gustav and Emma Froyd. As the third youngest child with nine sisters and four brothers, he grew up in a very active household. He absolutely loved growing up in Villisca where he excelled in school, basketball and football, and held numerous jobs as a boy and young man. As an adult, he relished any opportunity to share stories about his childhood years, and he attended nearly every Villisca high school reunion for the next 70 years.
Russ enlisted in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army in 1945. He became a paratrooper, which paid more, allowing him to send money home to his parents. He played the bass drum in the New York City parade entombing the Unknown Soldier. After WWII ended he completed his teaching degree at the University of Iowa. Russ then taught Science, Driver’s Education and served as the head of the Chamber of Commerce in Cherokee, Iowa.
Russ married the love of his life, Gene Goodman, in May of 1949. They grew up together in Villisca as childhood friends. They were both engaged to others before realizing they were meant to be together. They eloped on a Friday the 13th in the pouring rain and turned the superstition on its head by spending the next 69 years happily married.
Russ and Gene moved to Des Moines in 1958 after Russ joined the New York Life Insurance Company. Russ met his personal goal of selling 10 new policies each month for his entire 40 + year career. He loved meeting new people and created many lifelong friendships throughout these years.
Highlights of his many interests include: traveling with his wife, playing cards, playing golf, eating fresh corn on the cob, listening to jazz, hunting (after 3 daughters he was thrilled to gain a son-in-law and grandson who shared this interest), cheering on the Hawkeyes and making minced meat pie.
The most well-known of his many talents was his carpentry skills. That, in addition to his boundless energy, led him to completely remodel an older home in Des Moines and build a new home outside of Osceola, Iowa. Practically each one of his many descendants owns a hand-made piece of woodwork from Russ. Always eager to lend a helping hand, he served as the neighborhood handyman after retirement and was still replacing windows at the age of 85.
Russ is survived by his wife, Gene Froyd; three daughters, Vicki (Lance) Crawford of Ames, Jenny (Bob Parkins) Froyd of Ames, and Sara (Brad) Brayton of Clive; 10 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. And he loved them all. Russ was preceded in death by his parents and all but one sibling. Heaven gained a saint today.
A celebration of life service will be held in the spring of 2019 at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Kavanagh House Hospice.
