Karen I. Fry

Karen I. Fry, age 84, of Harvest, Alabama passed away Thursday, October 12, 2023. She was born on June 10, 1939, in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin as the first child to Neil and Lenore Kivlin. As a young child she also lived in Madison and Oregon, Wisconsin and Shawnee, Oklahoma. However, she spent much of her youth in Salem, Illinois. In 1957, she graduated from Salem Community High School and went on to attend Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Missouri.

In 1960, she married the love of her life, William E. Fry, originally of Salem, Illinois. They spent 63 wonderful years together. Shortly after the two married, they moved to Columbus, Ohio where they resided for over 50 years. While in Columbus, they raised two sons, Kevin and Steven Fry. After staying home to raise her two children, she became office manager of a psychiatric medical group in Columbus, Ohio. She held this position for several decades until her retirement. She was also a longtime volunteer at the Columbus Park of Roses. In 2013, the retired couple relocated to Harvest, Alabama where she resided until her passing.

Karen was an avid reader who always enjoyed a trip to the library. She had a lifelong interest in Queen Elizabeth and the British Royal family. She loved dogs, gardening, cooking, and Christmas and was fond of the beach, particularly Topsail Island, North Carolina. Karen was also known for her astonishingly sharp memory. These are just a few of the many characteristics that made her into the unique and wonderful wife and mother that she was.

She is preceded in passing by her son Kevin Fry; daughter-in-law Peggy Fry; father Neil Kivlin; mother Lenore Kivlin; and sister Judith (Kivlin) Kennedy.

She is survived by her loving husband William Fry of Harvest, Alabama; son Steven (Brenda) Fry of Harvest, Alabama; brother Keith (Eyra) Kivlin of St. Mary’s Ohio; grandson Chad (Yolanda) Fry of Monroe, Georgia; five great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.