John Fye

John Fye, age 93, of Freeport, Illinois, much beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away unexpectedly on August 24, after spending a day doing the things he loved in his later years - attending his Silver Sneakers class, lunching with his daughter, and visiting Krape Park. A thriving nonagenarian, his sudden death saddened and shocked his family and friends. John was born on October 9, 1928 in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England to John and Ellen (Wood) Fye. Though he was an only child, he grew up in the love and friendship of his eleven aunts and uncles (his father's siblings) with whom he lived until being transported to live with family in Letchworth in the South of England during World War II. He became an apprentice tool and die maker at the early age of 14, working with his father at the Kryn and Lahy steel foundry. A grand storyteller, we all learned of his adventures during the war, like taking sack lunches to his grandfather, John Barnabas Fye, as he scanned the skies for enemy planes. At war's end he entered the British Army as a courier, driving all over England on motorbikes. He was an amazing dancer and that's how he met his wife, Elizabeth (Betty) Lawson, on the dance floor in Royston, England, a very romantic - and cheeky! - story we learned the details of just a few years back. John and Betty were married on July 14, 1951 in Royston. Together they raised three children, Christopher and Eleanor, who were born in the UK, and Rodger, born in the US. In 1961 the family emigrated to the US, making the journey across the sea on the Queen Mary, and settling in Freeport. John continued his career first at Burgess Battery but was swiftly picked up by Micro Switch where he spent 30 years designing, automating, testing, and repairing machinery and equipment that kept the manufacturing processes running smoothly. He was known for his excellent and professional work, his good humor, and his warmth and friendship to his colleagues. In another time he would likely have been an industrial engineer, but time and place didn't allow for that education. In 1980 he began, with a couple friends, his own small manufacturing company, Triangle Enterprises, which he ran until his (second) retirement ten years ago. He was a wizard with industrial machinery. He will be greatly missed by his surviving children Christopher (Pat Leitzen) Fye, Freeport; Eleanor (Daniel) Carr, Freeport; and Rodger (Laura Freeman) Fye, Winnebago; grandchildren Evan (Amanda Eberle) Fye, MacKenzie (Michael McCain) Fye McCain, and Jordan (Emily LeBus) Fye; Nikki (Lance) Wheeler, Christie (Dean) Pattat, and Danny (Zuska) Carr; Logan (Emily Stocks) Fye and Kelsie (Jason) Rice; great grandchildren Felix, Rowan, Elena, Emma, Harrison, McKenna, Maycee, and Lachlan. He was preceded in death by his parents, his adoring wife Betty, and all eleven of those aunts and uncles. Visitation will be held Tuesday, August 30, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. and again before the service on Wednesday August 31, from 9:30 a.m. to start of the Celebration of Life at 10:30 a.m., at Burke-Tubbs Funeral Home, Freeport. Please sign John's guestbook and share a memory at www.burketubbs.com Cemetery Details Oakland Cemetery and Mausoleum 2619 W Pearl City Rd Freeport, IL 61032 Loading map Previous Events Visitation AUG 30. 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM (CT) Burke Tubbs Funeral Home- Freeport 504 N. Walnut Street Freeport, IL 61032 https://burketubbs.com Loading map Visitation AUG 31. 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM (CT) Burke Tubbs Funeral Home- Freeport 504 N. Walnut Street Freeport, IL 61032 https://burketubbs.com Loading map Service AUG 31. 10:30 AM (CT) Burke Tubbs Funeral Home- Freeport 504 N. Walnut Street Freeport, IL 61032 https://burketubbs.com Loading map