Peter Damien Fry, 65, of Detroit Michigan passed away on the 30th of June 2024 as a result of a home remodeling accident. He was born on January 29, 1959 to William and Joan (Lukeman)Fry in Peoria, Illinois.
Pete grew up in Washington, Illinois and graduated from Washington High School. He went on to receive a Bachelor of the Arts in Speech and Communication at Illinois College in 1984. Pete earned an A.B.A. Certified Paralegal degree at Roosevelt University in Chicago in 1986. In 1998 Pete received his Certified Series (3) Commodity Trading License from the National Futures Association.
Pete’s first job was making deliveries in downtown Washington for his father’s Rexall Drug Store. Pete has had many interesting jobs. From detasseling corn, working in the stockyards to traveling with the Ringling Brothers Circus taking care of the elephants. Pete’s primary career was working in the Commodities industry. He started on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in 1986 working for Drexel, Burnham Lambert and in 1989 for Lind-Waldock. Pete’s environmental justice work with Greenpeace took him from Chicago to California to Alaska. Pete eventually settled in Portland, Oregon and started a family. After receiving his license in 1998, Pete worked as a Broker for Pacific Rim Futures and Options and later, Sierra Capital Management in Portland, Oregon. Starting in 2002, he worked as a compliance officer for Pharmacy Inc., in Murray, Kentucky. He also ran his own business, Purchase Area Paralegal. Pete studied Graduate level Finance and Economics at Murray State University. He remained interested in the markets, especially corn, and continued to work with local grain farmers and trade his personal account.
Pete had an unforgettable personality and a huge laugh. Pete was always up for adventure. He was very sensitive and intolerant to injustice, whether environmental degradation or human rights violations. He had a generous heart and over the years saved countless orphaned and injured animals. He loved attending the time trials at the Indy 500, he loved the Chanticleer, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, Frank Zappa, elephants and his Chicago teams.
His children, Jack and Layne, were the most important things in his life and he never let them forget this. He was committed to their success-coaching their sports and encouraging their intellect. He was committed to their struggles-never giving up on any of their pursuits and challenges. He had fond memories of growing up in a big family in a small town and often shared stories from his own childhood.
Pete will be missed dearly by his children and his brothers and sister and extended family. Pete leaves behind a network of friends from coast to coast.
Peter Damien Fry is survived by his son, John “Jack” Daniel Fry (26) and his daughter, Layne Elizabeth Fry (20) of Bowling Green, Ohio. He is survived by a sister, Marie (George) Renner of Queen Creek, Arizona, brothers, Luke (Deborah) Fry of Jacksonville, Illinois, Thomas (Joanne) Fry of Windermere, Florida, Daniel (Jenni) Fry of Windermere, Florida, former wife Elizabeth Geer Fry of Bowling Green, Ohio and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Pete was preceded in death by his Mother and Father and his brother John (Rose) Fry of Bloomington, Illinois.
There will be a visitation for Pete at the Buchanan and Cody Funeral Home at 1100 Lincoln Avenue in Jacksonville, Illinois on Thursday, July 25th from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. On Friday, July 26th an 11:00 AM Mass will be held at Church of Our Savior, 453 E. State Street in Jacksonville which will be followed by a burial in Mt. Calvert Cemetery next to his parents.
