- Visitation
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
at 1st United Methodist Church, Lebanon, IL.
Masonic Service will be at 7:00 p.m.
- Service
Thursday, November 1, 2012
11:00 a.m.
at 1st United Methodist Church
Lebanon, IL
- Full Obituary
Frank Harold Avry, 95, went to be with our Lord, Friday October 26, 2012 at Royal Plaza Care Center, Lewiston, ID. Frank was born at Robertsdale PA on 3 Jul 1917 to Gabriel Louis Avry and Marie Louise Avry nee LeGal.
The family moved to Youngtown Ohio in 1927 where he went to grade and high school. He was very active in sports.
Frank was preceded in death by his mother and father and five brothers and one sister: Ephriam, Gabriel, Paul, Joseph, and twin brother John and sister Cenderine.
He married Ruth Cossey in June 1943. Ruth died in June 2002.
He is survived by his 2 children Frank Clyde Avry (Norma), Lebanon, IL, Paula Ketcher (John), Pryor, OK; 4 grandchildren, Christine Schmidt, Belleville, IL, Sarah Juelfs, Columbia, IL, James K. Floyd, San Antonio, TX, Bogard Floyd, Gloucester, Va.; 5 step-grandchildren, Dennis Wilburn, Belleville, IL, Terry Wilburn, Belleville, IL, Julia Whitney, Lebanon, IL, Jon W. Ketcher, Pryor Creek, OK, and Sam F. Ketcher, Pryor Creek, OK; 8 great grandchildren, Erica, Zachary, Lindsey, Avery Marie, August, Greyson, Keller and London Avry; 12 step great-grandchildren; 3 step great-great-grandchildren.
In Oct. 2003 he married Mildred West of Youngstown, Ohio and she died March 17 2006. He is survived by 3 step children, Richard West, Dennis West, Carol Francesskelli all of Youngstown, Ohio. 5 step grandchildren and 8 great step grandchildren.
Nov. 25 2006 he married Esther Jenner of Kamiah, Id. He is survived by Esther and 3 step children Pamela Mettler of Palm Beach, Fl, Bruce Jenner of Hidden Hills, Ca. and Lisa Jenner of Kamiah, ID., in addition to 10 step grandchildren and 2 step great grandchildren.
He was drafted into the Army in November 1941 and was at Jefferson Barracks St louis Mo on Dec 7 1941. He attended aircraft maintenance school and Las Vegas gunnery school. After a time at Vegas and Kingman Arizona he was assigned to Piute Texas as a member of a B 17 bomber crew as crew chief and top turret gunner.
He continued training in Dyersburg Tennessee and Langley Field Va. In January 1944 he flew to Belfast, Ireland with his crew in a B17. He was then assigned to 351 Bomb Group, 511th bomb squadron. He flew 27 missions over Germany and the plane was shot down by enemy fighters on May 28 1944 and he became a prisoner of war in Germany for 11 months.
After a time in an interrogation camp he was sent to the German Prisoner of war camp Stalag Luft IV. After spending that summer and early winter at that camp and with the Russians moving to the West, he was moved on Feb 2nd 1945 by train to Stalag Luft III (Lang Wasser, Germany) camp No. 5 near Nurenburg, Germany. As the Amercian Army began to advance into Southern Germany he was to be moved again to another prisoner camp in Moosburg, Germany. During a road march to this camp he escaped and evaded captivity for almost two weeks until he was liberated by American Forces.
Frank was awarded the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart and the POW medal. He retired after serving 30 years in the U.S. Air Force as Chief Master Sergeant. He was a Civilian Manager at the Visiting Great Quarters at Scott Air Force Base for many years. He was the Head Groundskeeper at Lebanon Golf Course for many years. Frank was a Rotarian for 34 years. He travelled to Belize several times and brought back several children to be treated at Shriners Hospital, on behalf of Rotary. He was Postmaster and Secretary and long-time active member of Lebanon Masonic Lodge. He was a long-time active member of 1st United Methodist Church, in Lebanon, IL and Lewiston, ID.
Memorials may be made to Shriners Hospital.
A Christian memorial service will be held on Monday, October 29, at 2:00 PM at First United Methodist Church of Lewiston, ID.
Visitation: from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 31, 2012 and 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 1st United Methodist Church, Lebanon, IL. Masonic Service will be at 7:00 p.m.
Funeral: 11:00 a.m. Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 1st United Methodist Church.
Burial will be thereafter in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, MO with full military honors
