Audra Mae Frey, 93, went to be with the Lord and to join her sister on Monday, Jan. 25, 2021 at home.
She was born on April 19, 1927, at the Frey family farm in Rushcreek Township, Logan County, a daughter of the late Otis Dale and Mayme Josephine (Chapman) Frey. She was also preceded in death by her sister and ever-present companion Mary Wanda Frey, the brother of her heart, Gerald (Billie) Royer and their daughters Karen Royer and Kathy Shepardson.
Audie is survived by her nieces and nephews Brad (Susan) Harp, their children Garret and Kelly Harp, all of Tacoma, Wash., Jeff (Sandi) Royer of Jacksonville, Fla., Sharen (Jeff) Frazier of Missoula, Mont., and David Royer of Akron.
After graduating from Rushsylvania High School in 1945, Audie attended Ohio University, then moved to Columbus, to be closer to home. She was a majorette in high school and at OU and taught baton and tap locally while living in Columbus. Audie and a friend decided to move to Los Angeles in 1962, because they liked the weather. Her sister joined them there within a year. She worked for Mission Insurance Company until she and Wanda retired to Visalia, Calif. They made annual trips back to Ohio, with Audie navigating and Wanda driving. They visited cousins and friends along the way, sometimes traveling 9,000 miles in one trip. The two of them moved back to Ohio in 2013.
Audra Mae was a lifelong member of Torchbearer Beta Sigma Phi sorority and was elected chapter Sweetheart in Visalia. She was baptized into the Rushsylvania Church of Christ, attended Wilshire Christian in Los Angeles, Fountain Christian in Visalia, and Rushsylvania United Presbyterian Church.
Audie led a very big life, traveling and visiting cousins from a very early age when few people traveled any further than the next county. She especially loved driving her little 1962 Corvair. Audie never met a stranger and all who met her were charmed by her wit and intelligence. She never let anything stop her once she put her mind to it and was very strong in her convictions. She loved California and Los Angeles, especially. It gave her joy to show off the city she loved, to visitors. She was intent on keeping her cousins in close contact and could easily tell you how all were related, even to the fourth or fifth cousins and more.
She will be greatly missed by those that love her, but life without Wanda, for her, was not bearable.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Rushsylvania First United Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 347, Rushsylvania, Ohio 43347 or to Interim Hospice Care, 3745 Shawnee Road, Suite 108, Lima, Ohio 45806.
The family will receive friends from 12 to 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29, at the Eichholtz Daring & Sanford Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 321 N. Main Street, Bellefontaine, where Pastor Lloyd Ferguson will officiate a funeral service at 1 p.m. Burial will follow Rushsylvania Cemetery in Rushsylvania. Guests in attendance are asked to be symptom free, wear a mask and practice social distancing.
Eichholtz Daring & Sanford Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Bellefontaine, is honored to serve the Frey family and encourages anyone to share a fond memory or message of condolence at www.edsfh.com.