1941-2026
On Sunday, January 25th, Roger Earl Fryett, of Hutchinson, passed on to his next great adventure after a courageous battle against numerous autoimmune diseases.
Roger was born in Bradley, South Dakota to parents Selah “Sam” Earl and Blanch Vivian (Neal) Fryett on July 14th, 1941, the youngest of four children. He married Dorothy Goetz on August 14th, 1976, and they spent the next 49 years together, completely inseparable. They had one daughter together, Meghan. Roger and Dorothy spent most of their time together, working on their craft projects, renovating the house, working in the garden, and traveling when they could.
Roger earned a degree in teaching from Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. He taught industrial arts at the high school level and coached multiple sports. He went on to earn his nursing degree from St. Joseph Mercy School of Nursing in Sioux City, Iowa and then his Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist from Mount Marty University in Yankton, South Dakota. Roger had a long career in medicine, working as a CRNA in multiple hospitals, mainly in South Dakota, Wisconsin, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska. He was exceptionally talented at his job, earning the prestigious Agatha Hodgins Award for excellence in anesthesia.
More than anything, Roger loved woodworking. He could usually be found in his shop, making everything he could out of rare wood on a large scale (furniture, cabinets, and completely renovated kitchens) to small, decorative works of art. He crafted everything from wooden dioramas and houses, delicate ornaments, bowls, vases, pens, and anything else he could imagine. His prized works were submitted to the Kansas State Fair where he earned numerous purple ribbons for Best in Show and blue ribbons for 1st place. People all over the country loved his woodcraft and bought his creations at art and craft fairs. He was a lifelong Chicago Bears and Nebraska Huskers fan, loved Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and Ford Mustangs.
He is survived by his wife, Dorothy and his three daughters, Robin (Scott) Boever, Vicki Brandt, and Meghan (Joe) Baranski. He is also survived by his six grandchildren, his brother Howard (Joyce) Fryett and several nieces and nephews.
Roger was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Blanche, his sisters Lavonne “Bonnie” (Henry) Peters and Phyllis (Roger) Yardley.
Cremation has taken place and a private memorial service will take place.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Mount Marty University, Yankton, SD, (to honor Roger’s legacy as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist) in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501. Please make the check payable to Mount Marty University, with Roger Fryett Memorial in the memo line.
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