Lee Arthur Frair
PORTVILLE - Lee Arthur Frair, 99, passed away Tuesday (Dec. 30, 2014) at his home in the town of Genesee.
Born Dec. 21, 1915, on Deer Creek Road, in the town of Genesee, he was a son of the late Floyd and Celia Hatch Frair. In 1942, in Fort Sill, Okla., he married the former Jessie McDonald, who predeceased him.
The Frair clan were farmers who settled on Deer Creek in the 1800s. Lee attended the one-room schoolhouse on Deer Creek during his elementary days in the 1920s, and then attended Portville High School on Main Street. He graduated with a class of 26 students from Portville in 1934 and was on the 1929 Portville football team - the first season they played against other towns.
After graduation, he worked in the oil fields near Little Rock City at the top of Deer Creek for $1 per day before he decided that he needed to go to college. He excelled at Cornell University's College of Agriculture, graduating in 1939. He was then the Ag teacher at Portville High School until 1942, when he joined the U.S. Army to fight in World War II. He quickly became an Army officer, and on June 6, 1944, landed at Omaha Beach on D-Day. He survived the Normandy Invasion and was involved in numerous operations and came home as a decorated hero.
He resumed his teaching position at Portville in 1946, was part of the formation of Portville Central School at its present location and became the school vice principal in 1958. In 1963, Lee was selected as the new supervising principal. He became superintendent in 1967, and Gerard Christopher was hired as high school principal, along with John Dubots as elementary principal. These three men would lead Portville Central School to new levels of academics, athletics and the arts over the next two decades. He influenced thousands of students, teachers and regional citizens in Portville and Cattaraugus and Allegany counties.
Lee was elected as Allegany County Legislator during 1980s and '90s.
Mr. Frair was a beloved leader and family man who became one of the most legendary individuals in Portville during the past century. He never drank, smoked, chewed or swore. The perfect family man and community man, he had zero enemies and was loved and respected by all. Lee was a lifelong member of Portville United Methodist Church and a Portville Central School Board member during 1960s and '70s until his retirement in 1979. He was also a member of Future Farmers of America, the Lions Club, American Legion and Boy Scouts. He was a past member of the Portville Garden Club, a longtime member and past president of the Chestnut Hill Cemetery Association, a member of numerous school groups in district and county, assistant football coach at PCS during the 1950s and the first person inducted into the Portville Hall of Fame in 2002. He spoke at the 2011 PCS graduation at age 95 and was Mr. Portville of the 20th century. His hobbies included woodwork, gardening and collecting World War II artifacts.
Lee is survived by his children, David Frair of Columbus, Ohio, Patricia Frair Haberly of Raleigh, N.C., Stephen Frair of Atlanta and Mary (Matthew) Frair Kichman of Portville; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
In addition to his wife, he was predeceased by brothers, Herman, Wesley, Orson, Leonard, and Ross Frair; and a sister, Helen Frost Groner.
Family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Guenther Funeral Home Inc., 51 S. Main St., Portville. Funeral and committal services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 3, 2015) at the River's Edge United Methodist Church, Portville. Pastor Clara Wilder will officiate. Burial will be in Chestnut Hill Cemetery, Portville.
Memorials may be made to Wounded Warriors, c/o Portville American Legion Post 814, P.O. Box 469, Portville, NY 14770; or the Chestnut Hill Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 517, Portville, NY 14770.
Funeral Home
Guenther Funeral Home Inc
51 S Main St Portville, NY 14770
(716) 933-8759
Published in The Olean Times Herald from Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, 2015
