Long-time Greene County Sheriff Mike Fry Passes Away

By Benjamin Cox on October 26, 2020 at 12:21pm

The Greene County Law Enforcement community lost one of its own over the weekend. Former Greene County Sheriff Mike Fry passed away Sunday at his home in South Jacksonville. He was 69.

Fry was a 1969 graduate of Jacksonville High School and was drafted into military service as a military policeman in May 1972.

After he was discharged in December 1979, Fry became a White Hall Police officer and later became Chief of Police. In 1986, he left the White Hall Police Department to become a deputy for the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, serving under then Sheriff Francis Neubauer. Fry would seek his first term as Sheriff, running as a Democrat, in 1990 and would win against a former co-worker at the White Hall Police Department, Republican Vernon Dunlap. He would retain the position until his retirement until 2006. Fry also served as a volunteer fireman with both the White Hall and South Jacksonville fire departments, similar to his father Bill. Fry was instrumental in helping organize the White Hall Fire Department Co-op.

Since retirement, Fry had been working as a part-time groundskeeper for Passavant Area Hospital.

Fry’s years of service to the Greene County community also came through his decades of membership to the White Hall V.F.W., the White Hall American Legion, the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, White Hall Masonic Lodge #80, Scottish Rite-Valley of Springfield, Ansar Shrine in Springfield and Rasna Shrine Club. He also served in the Tri-County Honor Guard.

Graveside military services will be held Wednesday, October 28th at 11AM at Jones Cemetery east of White hall. A “drive-thru” visitation will be held Tuesday, October 27th from 4-6PM at Airsman-Hires Funeral Home in White Hall. The family would like to invite friends to join them at the home of Bob and Mary Fry at 2 Pintail Ct. in Jacksonville following the service for food and fellowship.