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04/30/2014 12:00 PM

Jean A. (Gorder) Fryrear, 82, Madison


Jean A. (Gorder) Fryrear, 82, of Madison, passed away peacefully on April 27 at the Connecticut Hospice, Branford. She was born January 1, 1932, in Sioux City, Iowa, and attended the University of Iowa in Iowa City, and Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, where she met and married her husband Robert (Bob) Fryrear in 1952. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority.

Jean and Bob first moved to a USAF 2 year assignment in Buffalo/Niagara Falls, then to various job locations in Chicago, Pittsburgh, and New England, settling in Madison in 1968. She worked many years as a secretary for the Society for Prevention of Blindness, a non-profit organization in Madison. She ran a tight household budget. She also worked hard to keep the home and family together and stable through all the moves.

Jean was an honor student and class officer in high school, and voted, “The girl with the best sense of humor.” She carried her independent spirit into later life and was known for her sharp wit. She was an energetic gardener of flowers, a creative chef, and an aggressive bridge player in earlier years.

Jean loved to travel and planned in detail several European trips with Bob, and many family vacation trips in the U.S. and Canada. Jean and Bob also became snowbirds to Florida for 12 years until she was unable to make the trip.

Jean is survived by her husband Bob of Madison, their daughter Sandra Khoobani, Garrison, New York, their son Steven of Madison, and granddaughter Alexandra Khoobani, Croton-on-the-Hudson, New York.

She will go to rest in the Memorial Garden of the First Congregational Church, Madison. A Memorial Service will be held at the First Congregational Church, Madison, at 11 a.m. on May 17.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Rd., Branford, CT 06405.

Or contributions in memory of Jean Fryrear can be made to the Closer to Free Fund, which jointly supports Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven. Please make checks payable to Closer to Free Fund and mail to P.O. Box 7611, New Haven, CT 06519-0611. Please earmark for the Palliative Care Program. Secure online gifts can be made at www.giveclosertofree.com.