FRANK JERALD FRYE
February 08, 1906 Pembine, WI - December 21,
1969 Appleton, WI (murdered)
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Frank was born February 08, 1906 in Pembine, Wisconsin. He was the son of Jerome Fry and Otie Kuykendall..
In 1912 the family had lived in South Dakota and by 1922 they resided at 527 (407) South Douglas Street in Appleton, WI.(192) Frank first appears in the Appleton City Directory publication in 1925 as a student. In 1928 he worked as a beater at Kimberly Clark Paper Mill. His parents divorced at about that time as Otie and the family are living at 407 N. Bennett in Appleton and Jerome was living alone.
Frank supported his mother and younger sister Cecil. Theron was married by 1925 and out of the home. His sister Pearl married 1929. In 1930 Jerome was not listed as living in Appleton per the City Directory and Frank had moved to 519 S. Douglas St with his mother and sister Cecil. (146)(221)
Frank's sister, Pearl, had married Alois Mader on April 06, 1929 in Waukegan, IL. Theron had married Marjorie L. Hallam on June 15, 1925 in Menominee, WI. The 1930 census appears to show Theron as divorced and having a daughter live with him at his mother's home. The City Directory doesn't record this.
Frank was a very easy going, clever and tolerant man. He loved to kid around and tease family, enjoyed baseball and loved kids. He would laugh a lot and enjoyed having fun.
In 1932 Frank worked as a Laborer
for the Appleton Water Dept. He hand dug ditches as part of a work program
during the great Depression. (232)
In June1937 Frank was
hired for the Appleton Police Force. (192)
ROSE LONDRE (BLAHNIK)
Melva
Rose (Landry) Londre was primarily French Canadian. Rose was born June 12, 1909 in
Dunbar, WI. Ironically her birth certificate records her birthday as June
27, 1909. They celebrated it on the 12th. It was apparently
corrected to the 12th and the spelling of her name changed from Landre to Londre as can be seen on the
certificate reference (154) below. The
name Rose was also added to Melva. The name had once been spelled Landry by the
earlier generation. Social Security seemed to prefer the 27th as the date
however.
Rose was the oldest child of Hosanna Rose. A hand written record from
Rose's mother Hosanna Rose Venne Londre indicated that they married at the age
of 16 and apparently moved quite a bit. Rose basically grew up in lumber
camps where her father Hubert worked. From Hosanna Rose's hand written
records
(234)
The couple had moved to Dunbar March 28, 1908 and Rose was born in June 1909.
On March 12, 1910 they moved to Wausaukee.
They then moved June 11, 1910 back to Dunbar and only a few months later.
Nov 27, 1910 they moved to Soperton. (Pearl was born March 24, 1911 in Soperton)
June 1, 1911 went to Oshkosh.
June 27, 1911 returned to Soperton.
Lived in Wabeno till March 10, 1912
Moved to Oshkosh 3 of April 1912
Moved to Fond du Lac Aug 25, 1912
Nov. 3, 1912 to Mar_____ (December 29, 1912 Lloyd was born in Menominee, MI)
Jan 24, 1913 back to Oshkosh
Hubert left sick in __ a Mich. went to the hospital the 28 of 1913 St Mary till Feb 19, 1913. Start back to work to ___
Move the 4 of Sept 1913 work to Wells Mill
March 12, 1914 moved to Iron River. Had an operation in the throat the 28 of March 1914. Had sore arm till May
May 19, 1914 moved to (Pentgra?)
July 19, 1914 moved to Iron River (Wells Hubert Londre born December 14, 1914 in Iron River)
The family spent some time in Gibbs City, MI (1916-1921) where Harvey was born in 1916, Lester in 1919 and Blossom Mae Lucela in 1921. By 1923 the family was in Neenah were Clayton was born. The last child, Ronald Londre was also born in Neenah in 1925.
The family only spoke French until moving to Neenah, WI in the early 1920 from upper Michigan. Rose was only about 14 at that time. The kids helped their parents to learn English and Rose used to help her father with Construction blue prints that were in English. He was doing carpentry and construction work in Neenah.
The family name Londre came from the settlement called New France (Nova Scotia) in the 1600's with the spelling of Landry. It is unclear why the spelling was changed though Rose's mother once said it was to help the English speaking people to pronounce the name properly. Rene Landry was one of the first families to settle in the New World and the family remained there until four generations later when the British deported the Acadians to various ports often breaking up families. Rose's line settled in the Quebec area before coming to Upper Michigan and Wisconsin in the 1840's.
Rose met her first husband Richard Blahnik in Neenah at the local ice cream fountain. Richard was living with his parents at 214 Main Street in Neenah, WI. He was born February 14, 1904 in Algoma, WI and came from a Bohemian settlement in Kewaunee County. Richard's father, Frank Blahnik, was the town's Black Smith and right across the road from them was the Fox River. It was since filled in for the Bergstrom Paper company. The couple married July 08, 1924 in St. Mary's Church, Neenah, WI. Rose was only 15 years old at the time of their marriage. The Great Depression was hard on the family and the Blahniks had moved quite a bit and from time to time Rose's husband Richard would just take off and leave the family with no notice. He would eventually return home and it was never clear if he was looking for work as he wouldn't keep in touch with the family. Rose was never sure if her husband would return. Richard had a hard time dealing with the death of his son in 1927. Indeed the couple had a set of twins die in 1925 as well.(244, 245) This was during the depression and Rose would do sewing to try to bring in family income. Rose returned to Racine, WI to be with her family for financial support and she divorced Richard Blahnik there on November 05, 1937.
Frank's mother, Otie, did babysitting for income and among the children she sat for were the children of Rose Blahnik (Bette and Joyce Blahnik) Joyce had been born in 1930 and Bette in 1926. Frank and (Melva) aka Rose would meet through Otie.
FRANK and ROSE
On November 17,
1938 Frank and Rose married in Green Bay, WI.(152).
June 1, 1937 Frank
had joined the Appleton Police Force. Being a Police Officer had been
Frank's ambition and he was able to realize it during the depression.
(192)
Frank continued to live at 519 S.
Douglas Street in Appleton with his new wife and her two children.(233)
Frank continued to support his mother and sister, Cecil, but renovated a building on
the back part of the property for living quarters for them. The Post
Crescent newspaper mentions Frank for a marksmanship score.(235)
In October 1939 Rose and Frank lost their only baby. The newspaper reported that Rose had been hospitalized and Bette later stated that Rose not only lost the baby, but required a hysterectomy. (236)
Frank
accepted his two step daughters as his children and they began using the last
name Frye. Their names were never legally changed but it was the name they
used.
His step-children
went by the last name Frye and were:
Bette Jane Blahnik August 23, 1926 -
October 26, 2006
Joyce Blahnik August 20, 1930 -April 09,
2000
After Frank married Rose, Bette recalled a time when she was riding her bike down the street with no hands. It wasn't a busy street and there were big ditches on either side of South Douglas Street. Sure enough, her step father was behind her and called out, "Lady Bette Jane! Your bike goes on the porch for one week." She said she ran home and asked her mom if he could do that. Her mom told her he could and that with him being a police officer she had to be a role model. Later kids would complain to her that her father "pinched" them for something (cited them) and she'd reply that then they must have deserved it. If she couldn't save herself, she couldn't save them either.
1940 April 8 a demonstration was put on at Pamona Grange for the thirteenth
anniversary of the program. Eight Police officers put on a demonstration
of the first Grange regalia. Frank Frye was recorded as giving a reading.
(240)
Frank's name appears in a few more Post Crescent articles. On 1939 May 26 Frank was listed as the Steward for the Winnebago Pamona Range. (237) September 21 of 1939 1939 Sept 21Frank requested to remodel his home at 519 South Douglas Street in Appleton, WI.(238) On May 10, 1940, an article appeared in the Post Crescent called "Know your Policemen". A short biography and photo of Frank Frye was printed.(190).
(192)
In
July
1940 Frank requested to build an addition to his home at 519 S. Douglas Street.
His wife Rose worked with her father learning basics about blue prints and
construction. She was able to construct plans for additions and
remodeling. (241)
Frank continued to
improve his property and requested in August to attach a garage to his home.
They
denied allowing him to put an addition to the front of the house though.
(242)
More newspaper article ROSE to add
From time to time Frank's sister Winnie would come up from Iowa with her family to visit with Frank and their mother Otie, her sister Cecil. It was here that Winnie's son Deane Spilman met Frank's step-daughter Bette (Blahnik) Frye when they were just children. See photo below taken late 1930's early 1940's:
Men in the back row are
Deane Spilman, Tom Spilman
(Winnie's husband) and Frank Frye. Front row left to right
are Cecil Fry,
Bette (Blahnik) Frye, Rose (Frank's wife) Joyce (Blahnik) Frye and Otie
(Kuykendall) Fry.
On January 1, 1945 Bette and Deane married at the First Methodist Church in Appleton, WI. (226) Deane was in the Air Force during WWII they moved to his base in Roswell, New Mexico.
In February 1947 Frank was promoted to Detective Sergeant in the Police Force. (239)
Joyce
left the family when she married Carl Thomas in 1949. By
1959 July 6 to promoted
to Detective Sergeant in the Appleton Police Force.
(239)
Frank's daughter Bette recalled that in 1953 or 54 when she had been visiting
from Iowa with her two children for the 4th of July when an incident happened
that she recalled.
There was an annual celebration at Pierce Park and Frank had found 6 young men
drinking and setting off illegal fireworks. He was in plain clothes then,
but asked the group to leave. It was likely they did not know he was an
officer and one guy punched Frank in the eye. Frank was able to take care
of himself and after a brief physical battle he arrested all 6 of the young men.
He did come home with a black eye! Frank also loved kids and had started
the school cross walk program in Appleton. He was very intelligent, fun
loving and an easy going man who adored his wife Rose. Bette seemed to
think that Frank may have been unfaithful during the marriage but if there were
any affairs he must have been very discreet. Frank was very personable and
likeable person.
As a police officer, Frank did get threats against his life. A man named "Whitey" had given him trouble on more than one occasion during the 1950's. Frank had arrested Whitey and once released he made threats against both Frank and his wife Rose. Rose was actually deputized, given a badge and gun primarily for self protection. Rose was a 'crack shot' and certainly able to handle a gun. Still she was reluctant to be home alone while Frank was away at work. Bette's daughter, Jayne Spilman, was 9 years old at this time but came that summer to stay with Grandma. It seems a bit odd in today's world to have a child in this type of situation. Bette had said that back in the 1950's just having anyone else around would have discouraged involvement and offered protection. Jayne had been shown where Grandpa's gun was kept in the house, his badge, money, etc. Jayne stayed there the summer of 1956 and Whitey did stop harassing Rose at that time. There was, however, one occasion in 1957 when Rose actually had to use the gun to detour a man who came to the house threatening to kill Frank. Frank had retired from the police force in 1959.(239)
Photo below taken in 1948
when Rose and Frank cared for Johnny Mader.
John, Frank Frye, Rose, Jayne Spilman, Bette, Al Mader, Shirely Mader.
Frank always cared for family. While his sister Pearl was ill he and Rose cared for Pearl and Al's son Johnny Mader. In 1960 when Bette and Deane divorced he had Bette stay with her 4 children in an apartment above his house on 519 S. Douglas. By that time the old house in back had been torn down and the two story house made into and upper and lower apartment. Frank had worked for a while for Lawrence University and was able to help Bette get a job there with the ROTC in 1963. He later had Rose's widowed mother, Rose Londre, live in the apartment above them.
After retiring Frank did other work as a night watchman and motel clerk at "Biggers" motel on W. College Avenue before taking a similar job at the Embassy Motor Lodge (now called the Colony Inn-demolished in 2008) just off Highway 41 and County BB. Donald Stowe had originally owned the place but the Motel was foreclosed and a financial firm bought the place. Frank definitely believed in doing what was right. While Frank was employed at Bigger he had found some blood in a room as well as on some sheets. Frank began doing an investigation when the Manager yelled at him saying he had to stop being a cop. Frank had turned 62 in 1968 and had just applied for social security pension. Frank had announced that he had liked Biggers hotel and was going back to work there Jan. 1, 1970. He complained to his daughter Bette and her daughter Jayne, that there were "too many Chicago and Milwaukee boys running around" and he thought this would come to 'no good'. For the most part Frank had believed that Appleton was basically a very good community. He had worked as an officer during the depression and time period of Al Capone. Al Capone had some tunnel passage under College avenue and a building he worked out of on College Avenue. In the 1960's he said that in the Fox Valley there really was no major poverty that might be really associated with major crime. He had believed that if someone stepped out of line you just had to do what you needed to pull them back on the right side of the law.
On Saturday December 20, 1969 Bette and Paul went to see Rose and Frank with Jayne Spilman at their home. All seemed normal that day and they had a pleasant visit. After the company left Frank pulled out Rose's Christmas present from under the bed. He said he wasn't sure if he had gotten her the set she wanted so was just checking. It hadn't seemed too odd that he was giving her the Christmas present 5 days early. Frank's shift started at 2 am so he went to bed early as was typical of him. Later that night, at about 8:30 pm, Rose received a strange phone call. A man asked if this was the residence of the Frank Frye who worked at the Embassy (there were three Frank Frye's living in Appleton at the time). She said it was and when the man asked to talk to Frank she didn't want to wake him so lied and said he was at work. This prompted an unusual response from the many saying, "Oh, I must have the wrong number" and he hung up. (Rather unusual since he wanted the Frank who worked at the Embassy- but not much was thought about that at the time). When Frank left for work early the morning of December 21, be brought with him a gold retirement badge that was normally kept in the dresser drawer. He normally wore a suit to work and had slipped the badge in a small watch pocket in his pants. At 5:30 am he was discovered missing from the Motel and his body was found along the ditch near Zittau, WI in Waupaca County. He had been abducted and killed. A portion of the money had been taken from the motel but not the whole amount (?). He wore no coat and put up no struggle. Below is the newspaper.
Appleton Post Crescent Dec. 23, 1969 Front Page
Please view full
PDF article (150)
At Frank's funeral on Christmas Eve 1969 Frank's daughter Bette was approached by a man in a wheel chair. He told her that he always remembered Frank because of something he had done for him when he was a kid. He told Bette that as a child he had been on College Avenue (Appleton) when a bunch of kids began picking on him and teasing him for being crippled. The kids tormented him and wouldn't stop. He said Frank walked over, talked to the boys about what they were doing and made the kids stop. Frank could see how much this hurt him and took him out to get an ice cream cone. The man was grateful for Frank's kindness and sensitivity. The man was in tears as he recounted this story at Frank's funeral to Bette.
Frank never did retire and was about 10 days short of changing jobs. It is not known why he had his badge with him that night or whether he gave Rose her Christmas present early because he thought something would happen. At the time (late 60's, early 70's) the DCI apparently was investigating some activities that were going on at the Embassy through both Chicago and Milwaukee. Frank would not have likely known about that but did seem to think there were some bad things beginning to happen in the Valley that came from larger cities. The Flagstone bar and a strip club called the Horse Feather on Strobe Island along Lake Butte des Mortes may also have been under investigation. The Flagstone bar was not far from the Embassy (2820 W. Prospect Ave, Appleton, WI). There were possible Mafia connections going through the Embassy though nothing substantiated.
The case has been opened off and on over the
years and remains unsolved. During the late 1960's there were a
number of robberies that were taking place in the Valley. Almost 1
year earlier there was an unsolved case involving the murder of Marvin
Jensen
who had been the night watchman at Cloud Buick in Appleton. A man
named Robert Mitchell was arrest and charged with his murder in 2005 but
charges were eventually dismissed after his health became so poor in 2006
when his trial date arrived, that he was unable to stand trial and will
remain in his nursing home until his death.
There are other leads for
Frank but no one has come forward yet with enough evidence to
make an arrest as of 2010. Frank's last surviving daughter, Bette, had hoped to
put his murder to rest in her lifetime, but died with no resolution.
It is unclear if there will ever be an answer to this case. It most
likely was not to his advantage to have been a police officer. There
could have been mafia contacts and wanting him out of the way or simply a
robbery where he just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong
time and maybe even have known his assailants from past contacts.
There were other witnesses that might have lead to an arrest but they took
so long to come forward, some have died, and some have refused to talk.
Rose suffered a stroke not long after
Frank's murder. She remained living at her home at 519 S. Douglas Street.
At the time of Frank's death her mother (Hosanna) Rose Londre was living in the
apartment above her. Nearby her daughter Joyce lived with her children.
Miller Electric Company had grown quite a bit and was on the back side of the
block. Frank always said to Rose that someday Miller would be wanting
their land and would likely sell it to them. Indeed Miller did request her
to sell them her house. She lived there for several years and paid Miller
Electric a rent. She did not like living alone and had a fear of
thunderstorms. Eventually she decided to go to a nursing home in Little
Chute, WI. After
she left the house was torn down and the land used as a parking area. Rose
liked to smoke and enjoyed her beer. She died at April 21, 1990
(153)
age 80 from a heart
attack and was suffering from Kidney failure. Rose's obituary reads:
Rose M. Frye
(Rose M. Londre)
Parkside Care Center, Little Chute
Age 80, formerly of 519 S. Douglas Street, Appleton, died on Saturday April 21, 1990 at the care center after a lengthy illness. She was born June 27, 1909 [note birth date was actually June 12 but for whatever reason it was legally recorded as the 27th but later changed back to the 12th] in Dunbar, Wisconsin to the late Hubert and Rose Londre. She is survived by two daughters: Bette Nickasch, Appleton: Joyce LaCount, Appleton; three brothers: Wells (Dorothy) Londre, Racine; Les (Flo) Londre, Racine; Ronald (Afton) Londre, Arizona; two sisters: Pearl (William) Miller, Neenah; and Blossom Rowlands, Racine. She is further survived by 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews and other relatives and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank; three brothers: Lloyd, Harvey, and Clayton Londre. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 24, 1990 at 2pm at the Highland Memorial Park Cemetery Star of Hope Chapel with Rev. Paul Armstrong officiating. Interment will be in Highland Memorial Park. Friends may call at the Star of Hope Chapel only on Tuesday from 12 noon until time of service. A memorial fund is being established. The Wichmann Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. (151)
Rose's children and Frank's
Step-children:
Bette Jane Blahnik August 23, 1926 -
October 26, 2006
Joyce Blahnik August 20, 1930 -April 09,
2000
Frank is buried next to his wife Rose (Londre) at the Highland Memorial Cemetery in
Appleton, WI.
Sec. C, Lot 131, GR.2 See Appleton Highland
Memorial
Map
2008
SOURCES:
146-1930 Appleton, Wisconsin City
Directory
150-The
Post-Crescent Newspaper, Monday December 22, 1960 Front page.
151-The Post-Crescent Newspaper April
22, 1990 Obituary
152-Brown County Marriages, vol 31 pg 117.
153-Outagamie County death certificate 1990
number 396 Rose Frye
154-Marinette County, Dunbar WI Birth
certificate
Number 1573 1909 Rose Londre
190- 1940 May 10 Frank Frye bio
Appleton Post Crescent (WI) May 10, 1940
192- 1937 June 2 Frank Frye Police hire
Appleton Post Crescent (WI) June 2, 1937
221-1930
Census WI, Outagamie Co, Ward 3, 519 S. Douglas Street. Otie and her kids
226-1945
Jan 9 Globe Gazette Mason City, Wedding announcement
232-Appleton City Directory 1932
233-Appleton City Directory 1938
234-Handwritten records of Hosanna Rose Venne Londre,
pg 1,
2,
3,
4
235-May
5, 1938 page 19 Appleton Post Crescent Newspaper Frank Frye, Marksman
236-1939
Oct 10 Post Crescent pg 10 Rose Hospitalized, lost a child
237-1939
May 26, Appleton Post Crescent, Frank Frye Steward, Winnebago Pamona Range
238-1939
Sept 21 Post Crescent newspaper page 14, Request to remodel home at 519 S.
Douglas, Appleton
239-1959
July 6 Post Crescent newspaper p A16. Frank promoted Detective 1947 and Det
Serg in 1959
240-1940
April 8 Post Crescent Reading for Grange Pamona Range
241-1940
July 30 Post-Crescent Appleton, WI pg 13, build addition to house on Douglas
242-1940
Aug 14 Post-Crescent Appleton, WI pg 8, Attach a garage on Douglas
Street.
244-1925
Oct 2 Daily News Times, Neenah, WI pg. 3 death of Jeanette Blahnik
245-1926 Jan 9th Winnebago
County Death Certificate Reg 6. for June Rose Blahnik
