Mary Ann Frye

. Mary Ann Lawrence Frye, 66 passed away peacefully at her residence in Sylva on Thursday August 8, 2013 after a long courageous battle with Lymphoma and Pulmonary Fibrosis. Born in Buncombe County in Asheville, North Carolina on September 22, 1946 she has lived in Haywood and Jackson County since 1963. She was preceded in death by her parents James Loyd and Mary Margaret Gaidos Lawrence and a brother Corporal James Loyd Lawrence Jr. who was killed in Combat on June 12, 1968 on South Vietnam. Left to cherish her memory is her husband of 45 years, Gary Paul Frye; son Phillip Andrew Frye and daughter in law, Courtney Lindsey Frye and 20 Month old grandson, Davis Daniel Frye of Raleigh, NC; sister Maxine Lawrence Steppleton and brother in law, Harold David Steppleton of Waynesville, NC; Brother Edward Lawrence III of Galax, VA; brother in law William (Bill) Elliott Frye and sister in law Linda Lou Ledbetter Frye of Hendersonville, NC. A graduate of Sylva-Webster High School and Western Carolina University with a Master of Arts degree in education, she was a member of the National Education Association and North Carolina Association of Educators. She began teaching in Haywood County at Waynesville Middle School as a seventh grade teacher before returning to Jackson County where she taught math and science at three schools: Sylva Elementary School, Sylva-Webster High School and Fairview Elementary School. She retired in June 2003 after a 31 Year career in education. A lifelong Christian, she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Sylva for 50 years where she taught the Rebecca Sunday School Class for over 20 years and was an assistant teacher of the Ruth Sunday School Class for five years. She served as Church Business Recording Secretary for many years and was on the church Women’s Missionary Union Leadership Team. She assisted with summer Vacation Bible School for over35 years and served on numerous church committees. She also volunteered over 40 years as a nursery worker during Sunday morning worship service. She thoroughly enjoyed traveling the world on vacations. Her concern for others and her unfailing generosity was why she volunteered on church mission trips to Brazil, Ukraine, Kentucky and on several occasions to Mississippi for Hurricane Recovery Work following Hurricane Katrina. She was also a long-time volunteer with the Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Box Ministry, Operation Christmas Child in Sylva and Charlotte, NC. She will be fondly remembered for sending get-well cards, sympathy cards, congratulation cards and birthday cards to members of her church, school, family, friends and community. She was truly an inspiration for many people who knew her. Funeral Services will be held Sunday August 11, 2013 at 3:00 PM at First Baptist Church of Sylva with the Rev. Jeff P. Mathis, Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr. John T. Bunn, Pastor Emeritus and Dr. Robert A. Holquist, Minister of Music Officiating. The family will receive friends in the church sanctuary two hours prior the service from 1 until 3:00 PM. Interment will follow in Fairview Gardens. In Lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorials be made to either the First Baptist Church of Sylva or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. First Baptist Church of Sylva, 669 West Main St. , Sylva, N.C. 28779 ( for the Mission and Fellowship Center Kitchen Fund or the Dudley Vandiver Frye Memorial Foreign Mission Fund). Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 401 Harrison Oaks Blvd., #200, Cary, N.C. 27513 The family would like to express their sincere gratitude for the kindness and support shown by church, education and community friends, Medical staff, Medwest Harris Hospice Services and Appalachian Funeral Services. .