Nedra Dayle Frye

Nedra Dayle Frye was reunited with her beloved husband, James Frye, as she departed this life on January 10, 2026. Her earthly life began in Bloomington, IN with her parents Millie and Millard Shields. When she gained her dear sister Andrea Shields Miller four years later, they often spoke of being “attached at the heart.” When her high-school sweetheart asked her to be his, without reservation she agreed that they belonged together for a lifetime. They had been married more than fifty years when he passed away, and now their union continues throughout eternity. Nedra and Jimmy were blessed with six children: Perri Frye Graves, Andrew Shields Frye, Teddy Joseph Frye, Jaymi Dayle Frye, Eric Len Frye, and Millibeth Frye Rowe. Those six children have brought fourteen grandchildren into the family, and those grandchildren have added fourteen more to the Frye clan. Nedra provided much love and joy to all, gathering all of them together as often as she could through her ninety-one years. She loved all their mates, inviting them in as part of the family, often entertaining them with stories about her life. Oh, the stories she told! Oh, the memories we hold! What a blessed life as she taught us how to conduct ourselves wisely, with music and humor always intertwined! She was blessed with several lifelong friends who also became part of her family. Their children became her own, so much so that many of them consider her to be their grandmother. Generations of friends like family were blessed by her generous loving heart as her hands created poetry and art to fit the occasion. As a delightful entertainer, Nedra blessed everyone she met with laughter, wherever she was. Passing out advice, often with her tongue in her cheek, she gave wisdom with a smile. She often said that her role in life was “blessed to be a blessing.” As a pastor’s daughter, a pastor’s wife, and a pastor’s mother, she gave herself wholly to blessing God, serving as lead worshipper, whether from the organ she played with fervor, or teaching a Sunday School class, or leading the teen choirs, writing and producing skits/plays for the youth, working as a Christian school supervisor, or entertaining ladies on the second Friday of every month, or acting as mentor/grandmother to the many children who followed her example by lifting their hands in worship alongside her. Her front row seat became the coveted place for many young people who learned from her to sing with their whole hearts and to testify of the goodness of God wherever they were. While The Church of the Open Door was blessed to be her home for the last years of her life, her encouragement in worship will be a lifelong blessing to anyone who ever attended service with her anywhere. Her life of service will be celebrated with much music as we meet for her final great worship service Saturday, January 17, at Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, beginning at 10 a.m.