Frederick W. Fraley III's Obituary
Frederick W. Fraley III, passed away peacefully on November 2, 2022 surrounded by loved ones in San Antonio, Texas after his fourth battle with cancer. Fred had an incomparable passion for life, an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, a brilliant intellect and memory and most importantly an ironclad commitment to loving and supporting his family. We are forever grateful he celebrated his 90th birthday, for his inspirational life and for all the additional chances God granted him to enjoy.
Fred was born on May 15, 1932 in Houston, Texas to Frederick W. Fraley II and Katy Ruth Stricker Fraley. At the young age of 6 months, Fred was uprooted from Texas when the family moved to Pittsburgh and then onto Cleveland. Fred was a true lifelong learner and proud alum of all of his academic institutions. He attended Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh until the age of fifteen and then graduated from University School in Cleveland in the Class of 1950. Fred attended Princeton University and was a writer for the Daily Princetonian, a proud member of the Terrace Club and played the alto saxophone in the marching band all four years. Fred was awarded an A.B. with honors in Public Affairs in 1954 from Princeton and then pursued his law degree at the University of Michigan Law School and graduated with a J.D. with distinction in 1957.
One of Fred’s greatest achievements in life was his time spent as an attorney adviser in the Far East Section of the State Department in Washington, D.C post law school. From an early age, Fred was intrigued by foreign affairs with a focus on the Middle East and China. The State Department job stimulated and fulfilled many aspects of Fred’s academic mind; however, after the early loss of his mother, responsibility called and he relocated with his father to Texas to begin the next chapter of his legal career.
In 1962, Fred moved to Dallas to join the legal department of Lonestar Gas Company and soon after met his first wife Elizabeth Anne Fraley as a stag at a Christmas Slipper Club Dance. They were married on February 22, 1964 and happily raised two daughters, Katherine Louse Fraley and Mary Frances Fraley. Fred was a loyal and loving husband to Elizabeth Anne for 41 years and enjoyed many joyful years of parenting their daughters, extensive travel and ballroom dancing while also sharing the pain of losing their oldest daughter, Kay, to leukemia in 1981. After this loss, Fred poured all of his energy into being the most dedicated father and friend to his surviving daughter, Mary, and will forever be remembered as her biggest advocate and champion.
Starting in the 1970s, Fred practiced international law specializing in international oil exploration and oil service law, domestic and foreign business entity law, and American international regulatory law. A founder of the Dallas International Law Society in 1972, Fred served as section chairman and was a member of the honorary College of the State Bar of Texas. After a 35-year career, he retired as General Attorney and Secretary of ENSERCH Corporation.
Fred was blessed to have two happy marriages in his lifetime. After his first wife, Elizabeth Anne Fraley, lost her battle to ovarian cancer, he met his second wife Jean Jones Fraley and enjoyed a beautiful chapter of nearly thirteen years discussing politics, spending time with grandchildren and playing his bass violin with Jean on the piano in nursing homes and hospitals on a weekly basis. Fred cherished all of his relationships and memories with the extensive Jones family.
Throughout his life, Fred was a learner and an avid reader of public affairs, politics, early American and post-World War II history and always a journalist at heart having his letters frequently published in the Wall Street Journal. After a life-giving open-heart surgery at the age of 85, Fred committed to dedicate more of his time to the church and God and returned to seminary to receive his Diaconal Studies Diploma from Trinity College at the age of 88.
Fred embraced life to the fullest until the very end and will be missed by those who knew him.
Fred is survived by his daughter Mary Frances Fraley Herff, son-in-law Christian Herff, and grandchildren William Herff and Annie Herff of San Antonio. He is also survived by his dear nephew, Ken Taylor, and niece, Margo Taylor Walker, of Cleveland, Ohio. He is predeceased by both of his late wives, Elizabeth Anne Fraley and Jean Jones Fraley, and his daughter Katherine Louise Fraley.
A graveside burial service will be held in Dallas on Monday, November 14 at 2:00pm at Restland Cemetery (13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX). A memorial service will be held on Monday, November 21 at 2:00pm at Christ Lutheran Church in San Antonio (6720 Broadway, San Antonio, TX).
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for any contributions/memorials be made to Christ Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas (6720 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209) or the YMCA Of the Rockies Fred Fraley Memorial (2515 Tunnel Road, Estes Park, CO 80511).
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