VIRGINIA CAROL FRYE

VIRGINIA CAROL FRYE TRYON, N.C. - Virginia Carol Frye, formerly of Monkton, Vt., died at age 70 on Sept. 30, 2014, in Duke University Hospital of a rare and aggressive form of cancer. Ginny, as she was known, graduated from Taft High School in Hamilton, Ohio, in 1962, and from Miami University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Humanities Degree. After graduation, Ginny worked for the Columbus, Ohio, Public Library System, and when appointed as head librarian of the Dublin, Ohio, branch, she became the system's youngest branch library head. She moved to Vermont with her beloved husband, Michael Frye, in 1972, where they lived until retiring to Tryon in 2010. Ginny's grand passion was her horses. She trained and showed many Arabian horses to Class A Championships and Regional Top 5 placing's. She showed her beloved Arabian gelding, Bal Amozan, to his International Arabian Horse Association Legion of Honor, a lifetime achievement award. She also trained and showed National Show Horses and won a National Championship, as well as national top 10 placing's and regional championships. Ginny cofounded the Vermont Arabian Horse Association shortly after moving to Vermont. Over the years, she served as president, secretary and editor of the VAHA newsletter. She was a director of the District II National Show Horse Association, and a director and secretary of the New England National Show Horse Association. As a director of the National Show Horse Registry, she served as secretary, national club liaison, associate editor of the NSH magazine, and advisor to the NSH Youth Clubs. Her other major passion was supporting equal marriage equality for gays and lesbians. While in Vermont, she did volunteer work for Vermont Freedom to Marry, which was instrumental in the passage of legislation in Vermont in 2009 giving marriage equality to all. After moving to Tryon, Ginny and her husband owned Norwegian Fjord horses for pleasure and trail riding. She also found joy learning to handcraft jewelry. She took classes at Tryon Arts & Crafts, and became quite accomplished. Her work was sold at various local craft shows and shops. Ginny lived life with gusto. She had a contagious smile, a quick wit, and both time and kindness for friends, old and new. Ginny is survived by her husband of 47 years, B. Michael Frye; and her two Norwegian Fjord horses. A celebration of her life will be held at Tryon Arts & Crafts School in Tryon, N.C., on Nov. 1, 2014, from 4 to 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ginny's name may be made to Tryon Arts & Crafts School (tryon artsandcrafts.org); Foothills Humane Society (www.foothillshumane society.org); or Freedom to Marry (www.freedom tomarry.org).