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Bill Fraley passed away on January 5, 2020.
Below is a notification received from his family. Bill's wife, Joyce, has given permission to post this information on our class website. We extend heart felt condolences to the family, as well as thoughts and prayers. An obituary will be published in the Greensboro Daily News this coming Sunday January 12, 2020. A service to celebrate Bill's life is planned for Tuesday, January 21st in Greensboro.
Dear Friends,
It is with a heavy heart that we write to you about the passing of Bill, our beloved husband and father on Sunday, January 5, 2020.
We are planning a service to celebrate his life on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 11am. The service will be held at Christ United Methodist Church on Holden Road in Greensboro, NC. More details will be posted on the Forbis and Dick Funeral Service website and in the Greensboro News & Record in the coming days.
As we may not have everyone's email address, please forward this information on to anyone who we may not have included that was close to Bill.
With sincere regards,
Joyce, Blair and Patrick Fraley
Obituary for William Burke Fraley
Greensboro - William “Bill” Burke Fraley passed away Sunday, January 5, 2020 at Wesley Long Hospital.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at Christ United Methodist Church in Greensboro, NC. The family will receive friends at a reception immediately following the service. A private burial will follow at a family plot in Gibsonville, NC at a later date.
He was born on April 1, 1944 in Greensboro, NC and is predeceased by his parents, Richard Burke Fraley and Sara “Ruth” Burke Fraley. He is survived by his wife of more than 46 years, Joyce Barringer Fraley and their children, Blair Carlton Mantz (Philip) and Patrick Burke Fraley (Sophie).
After attending high school at Greensboro Senior High School (now Grimsley High School), Bill graduated from Guilford College in 1968 with a degree in economics. Following graduation, he worked for many years with Dennison Manufacturing Company. After his time with Dennison, Bill added to his hometown by planning, building and selling custom homes within Greensboro.
Bill was a loving father and a friend to the Greensboro community. He had an excitement for meeting new people and a caring and welcoming personality that attracted many close friendships. Within his community, he was an active member of the Christ United Methodist Church in Greensboro. Bill also had a passion for automobiles. He was a member of and acted as a judge within car clubs such as the Sports Car Club of America, where he was a long-time member.
Bill was greatly loved and admired by all who knew him, especially his family. His passing will leave a deep void in each of their lives. The family expresses their heartfelt appreciation to their friends and family who have surrounded them with love and care during this time.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the March of Dimes or Christ United Methodist Church.
Forbis and Dick North Elm Street Chapel is assisting the Fraley Family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.forbisanddick.com.
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James Mills Freedman
Brother Bill Fraley and I played together on weekends when we were ten or twelve or so indulging our respective curiosities, of which there were a few. Not the least of which was the curious behavior of his excellent white rat – there might have been three of them, I am not sure – that lived on his neck and shoulder, was in constant motion and horrified my mother. The intrigue of this did not occur to me then, though it certainly was fun, but it does occur to me now in retrospect. Brother Bill did have a fine sense of the absurd which I think renders anyone humble and thoughtful which he certainly was. My long absence has put a distance between us but when I saw him at our fiftieth reunion I could see that spark of a kind and creative spirit that I knew he had many years ago was still alive and well.
Troy Mack Brim, Jr.
I had known Bill since the 5th grade at Lindsey Elementary, so sorry to hear of his death. We lost contact after graduation from Guilford and then met again in 1985 through his home building and have been in contact since. I will miss seeing you and our emails, I pray for his family through these difficult times.
Alexander Palmer Heggie
Very sorry to hear of Bill's death. We weren't close friends in high school, where I met Bill, but we have gotten to be closer as we shared our common interest and passion for road racing, sports cars, and the SCCA. At our last GHS '62 reunion, Bill invited me over to his house and garage to see his '66 McLaren Can-Am car which he was in the process of restoring. Beautiful, historic car that Bill had owned for many years. Wish he could have seen it on the track again. My thoughts and prayers are with Bill's wife and family.
Alex Heggie
Paul Stewart Gardiner
Sorry to hear of Bill's passing. Seem to remember he was called "Brother" by many of his friends. Remember his mom as a 3rd (or 4th) grade teacher at Lindley Elementary. Bill was always a very interesting guy to talk with--enjoyed his friendship at GHS. Best to his family.
Henry Theodore Pope
I am so sorry to hear of Bill's passing....He and I played baseball together and spent a period of time in the 4th grade band at Lindley Elementary. I had not seen him in many years. I pray for him and his family...May he Rest in Peace....
Mary Esther Hartman (Murchison)
Fond memories of Brother Bill Fraley who was a friend and has been a happy memory from our days at Lindley Elementary .His mothe was my 3rd grade teacher there A good friend and classmate at our old school, with its grass steps and room to roam during recess Plus a week of camping at Crabtree Creek State Park in 5th grade. Kiser separated Lindley Elementary friends but it was good to be among childhood friends again at Greensboro Senior High, now Grimsley . Rest In Peace, Bill
Stephen Howard Israel
I remember Bill well from high school though except for several reunions, our paths did not cross afterwards. He stood out for me as a "good person" which was perhaps not so easy for all of us to be in our high school years. My condolences to his family and his good friends.
Donald L. Fogleman
Bill was an exceptional person in many ways and always thought of others in the kindness of ways. He was one of the really good guys, and will be deeply missed. Rest In Peace my friend.
Bill Womack
I moved to Ridgeway Dr in the 1st grade in the next block from Brother and across the street from Camilla Walters and Bobby Lennon. If you remember Brother as i still call him had polio. We played all kinds of things and were in trouble the better part of the time We did many stupid things growing up, some dangerous like BB pistol fights on bicycles. Guns would only sting if you hit the skin but didn't think about our eyes. Lots of memories. Mrs. Fraley was my 3rd grade teacher.
Sure sorry to hear of such an old friend leaving our family of Lindley Elementary.
God grant you peace and grace Brother.
Bill Womack
Joseph Michael Harmon
Bill was a remarkable, kind and gentle man who could overwhelm anyone with his superb enthusiasm. He was Greensboro through and through. His mother was a school teacher at Lindley Elementary and his father owned the Amoco gas station in Sunset Hill Shopping Center, located next to Casey's Barbecue and across the street from Ham's Beer Joint.
From early age, Bill was a car nut. When he was 14 or 15, he had a 1937 Ford 2dr sedan with a flathead V8 under the hood. At 16, Bill began a run through top-of-the-line Corvairs and Monzas. In 1967, it was a Ford Mustang muscle car, which he later traded for a McClaren-Elva open-top race car, previously owned by Dan Blocker of Hoss Cartwright Bonanza fame. This particular car was once featured on the cover of Road and Track Magazine. The car still resides in Bill's workshop, on the front end of a complete restoration.
Bill later turned Family Guy, driving a Toyota Previa for family activities and a succession of Jeep Cherokees, which must have been painful for him. In the meantime, he owned a late 1960s red Ferrari 330 GT and managed to hold on to his late mother's 1971 Mercedes 280 SL roadster.
When one remembers Bill, he or she thinks of enthusiasm, kindness and friendship. Bill reveled in his passions and considered everything he was involved with or fond of as the best. Due to limitless enthusiasm, he wanted to share his passions with us. It could be anything; the GHS marching band, Camp Seagull, Sport Time, his family, his friends, Ferraris and things as simple as a bowl of soup.
At the end, Bill did not talk of dying, but he knew he was. Bill told one of his high school classmates multiple times that he loved him. This is just about the last thing men will do. We men are so stupid; whe show our affection by trading insults and derogations. Only at the end do we express our love for one another, and Bill did it well.
Now Bill is up there, and we can imagine that he has a workshop large enough to house all of his cars and space to complete his projects. He will be happy from now to eternity.
Bill is gone, and we will miss him terribly. We can now say, with love in our hearts, "Godspeed Old Bill Fraley, Godspeed."