Eleanor J. Fry

Eleanor Jeanne (Welling) Fry, 90, of Galesburg and formerly of Augusta died peacefully on Friday, June 5, 2026, at Beacon Hospital in Kalamazoo.

Eleanor was born September 22, 1935, in Augusta, Michigan to Leo Joseph and Caroline Martha (Godde) Welling. She grew up on the farm outside Augusta and was a 1953 graduate of Galesburg-Augusta High School. Eleanor was employed as a teenager with ISB in Augusta and then later when her youngest child was 4 years old, began working at First of America Bank. She was employed 28 years, prior to retiring in 1993.

Eleanor was united in marriage to Carl Allen Fry, Sr. on March 6, 1954 at St. Joseph Church in Kalamazoo. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl on July 13, 2008. Surviving are their five children, Carol (Don) Brelowski, Carl (Denise) Fry, Jr., Sue (Michael) Johnson, Ann Fry, and Kathy (Jerry) Hadaway; six grandchildren, Eric (Jamie) Brelowski Cohn, Tracy (Bryan) Waggoner, Emily (Kyle) Brewer-McClurg, Sarah (Louie) Brewer-Cayedito, Jesse (Kirsten) Dettwiler-Brewer, and Julia (Jacob) Maxwell; and 7 great grandchildren, Grayson, Cole, Madisyn, Dylan, Emery, Hayes, and Nora; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and their families. In addition to her husband, Carl, Eleanor was also preceded in death by her step-mother Ethel Welling, a sister, Mary Tremblay, brothers Leo Welling Jr. and Edward Welling, and her half-sister Lorraine Welling.

Eleanor was a lifetime member of St. Ann Catholic Church and as a member of the church, she sang with the choir, helped prepare funeral luncheons, volunteered with St. Vincent DePaul, and made monthly visits to a nursing home for communion. Eleanor enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening, and feeding and watching the birds, especially bluebirds, hummingbirds, and orioles. She loved walking, bicycling, water aerobics, and especially spending time with her family and friends. She also loved traveling with her husband Carl to Alaska, Tucson, and Gulf Shores, and together bicycled in several states. She accomplished numerous weeklong bicycle trips with Pedal Across Lower Michigan. Eleanor also went on group trips with friends to Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Amsterdam, Ireland and Rome. Eleanor will be remembered for her love of family,

friends, and her devotion to her faith.

Friends will be received Monday, June 15, 2026 beginning at 5:00 p.m., with a Rosary at 7:30 p.m. at the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, 307 N. Webster St., Augusta, MI 49012. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Ann Catholic Church, 12648 East D Ave, Augusta, by Monsignor Michael Osborn, assisted by Deacon Mike Carl on Tuesday, June 16 at 10:30 am. Committal and inurnment will be held privately at Fort Custer National Cemetery, where Eleanor will be laid to rest with her husband, Carl.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Vincent DePaul, Knights of Columbus, and St. Ann Church. Arrangements are by Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, Augusta Chapel. Personal messages for Eleanor’s family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.